


The Storm After

by Msteinerst



Category: Arrow (TV 2012), Supergirl (TV 2015), The Flash (TV 2014)
Genre: Character Death, Characters to be added, F/M, Kariver, Karliver, Slow Burn, SuperArrow - Freeform, The Heroes of Two Worlds
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-01-19
Updated: 2018-12-06
Packaged: 2019-03-06 18:26:24
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 22
Words: 124,956
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13417041
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Msteinerst/pseuds/Msteinerst
Summary: Set after the events of Crisis on Earth-X. The story follows up with a different ending where Oliver and Felicity broke up after the wedding. Oliver and Kara discover new perspectives on their unspoken dynamic. Kara joins Oliver on his mission to put Star City on the right path. Kara's struggles with the future she wants as she witnesses what it could be. Their interactions from past and future will have everlasting consequences, ones that lead to a storm.





	1. Prologue

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> After attending Martin Stein's funeral, Oliver goes with Barry and Iris to say goodbye to the others.

The burial of Martin Stein had just finished and everyone had begun to part ways. The heroes and legends had successfully combated the Earth-X invaders thus saving Earth-1. Barry and Iris had decided to go say goodbye to Kara and Sara, who were returning to their respective world and time. Barry turns to Oliver as they were about to leave.

"Hey Oliver, we're going to say goodbye to Kara and Sara, would you like to come?" Barry asked. He was hoping he would say yes.

"Oh, they're leaving already?" Oliver replied, having just realised everyone except for him, Barry and Iris were left. "Yeah, of course, we should see them off".

"Great!" Barry said with a big grin, he was happy that Oliver wanted to come. They started to walk off when Barry realised something and asked "Oh... but where's Felicity?"

Oliver didn't respond to Barry's question and continued to walk ahead. Barry remembered that things had gotten awkward between the two of them when Felicity rejected his proposal. He had seen them interact during the midst of the invasion and thought they had maybe patched things up. Oliver then came to a stop.

"We uh… wanted different things, Barry..." Oliver said without turning to face him. Barry could tell how much Oliver was hurting despite Oliver not showing his face, he could tell how his best friend felt. "Let's just leave it at that, alright...?"

"Yeah... of course." Barry responded, respecting his friend's wish.

* * *

The three of them had finally caught up to others and saw Alex with them as well. Oliver noticed Mick in the background, he assumed he was waiting for Sara. Alex and Sara had exchanged a few words before committing to an awkward but friendly hug. As Sara walked off to board the Waverider with Mick, Alex turned around to see the others approaching. Kara went to stand by her sister, with her hands deep in her pockets as they were about to say their goodbyes.

"Thanks for inviting us to the wedding, and sorry that it didn't turn out the way you wanted to." Kara started with a chuckle, trying to ease the mood.

"At least it'll be memorable." Iris responded, appreciating Kara's concern.

"We'll probably just do it more low-key this time around, so it'll be more simple and fewer Nazis that way." Barry added on top. It got everyone to laugh.

"Well, take care guys." Kara said after the laughter settled down.

Both Kara and Alex began to hug Barry and Iris. Alex then proceeded to hug Oliver who was trying to refrain from being hugged but ignored it and hugged him anyway. Barry remembered that Oliver hated giving hugs and it gave him a little chuckle. Kara remembered what happened last year too, and followed suit to give him a hug as well. They exchanged a look before Kara came in with the hug. As soon as they embraced, Kara suddenly felt a rush in her head and she flashbacked to when she was in Star Labs. She remembered the image of their Earth-X counterparts consoling each other when they were preparing to cut out Kara's heart. She remembered the kiss Oliver-X gave to Kara-X on the forehead and the exchange of 'I love you' to one another. She was then brought back and realised they were still hugging. Kara let out a scream and pulled away from Oliver, feeling really flustered and embarrassed at how long they were hugging.

"Oh no, take your time guys." Alex joked, surprised at what she just saw.

"You can always come to visit!" Barry chimed in, displaying the same faces as everyone else.

"Yeah… um…. I-I know…" Kara stuttered as she was struggling to get words out but quickly pulled herself together. "We'll see you later! Let's go Alex!" she grabbed her sister's arm and opened a portal. Before anyone can utter anything else, they were gone.

* * *

Kara and Alex arrived back at Kara's apartment. Kara began to walk quickly as she could before Alex could say anything. She opened the door to her bedroom and laid on top of her bed.  _What was that back there?,_  Kara thought as she began to gather her thoughts.  _Why did I even think about that? I mean that was Oliver! Why would I even think about that!._ Kara was screaming in her mind. She didn't know how to take in what had happened a few minutes ago. Why did the hug between the two of them induce these feelings. She just laid there for awhile, basking and contemplating these new emotions. She finally shook her head to bring herself back to reality. She got up from her bed and decided the best thing to do right now, was for her to keep herself busy. She went back out and noticed Alex was gone.

"She went to the D.E.O already?" Kara asked herself aloud, knowing no one would respond. "She really is a workaholic." Kara smiled at the thought of her sister being so dutiful. "Well, I probably overreacted, I mean it was just a hug…" Kara told herself, trying to convince herself it was nothing. "Yep, it totally meant nothing!"

That's all that happened between Oliver and Kara. That's what Kara had believed to have happened. However, little did she know that Oliver Queen was experiencing the same thing as she was.


	2. Acceptance

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Time has passed since the wedding. Alex decides to confront Kara about what happened last time with Oliver.

Kara and Alex went through the breach and were gone before anyone could say anything. Oliver was feeling so confused that he hadn't been able to comprehend what was going on. When he was hugging Kara he was reminded of his Earth-X doppelgangers. Had their presence as a couple left an impression on his mind that strongly? Despite the fact that they were Nazis and had just invaded their Earth, he could not deny the love that each of them had for one another was pure. So when they hug just then, he felt a warmth that he had lost and desired deeply. When he finally got his bearings, he had realised that both Barry and Iris were staring at him.

"Oliver, did you hear what I said?" Barry asked inquisitively. It seems that Barry was trying to get his attention for awhile now.

"Yeah, I'm fine, Barry." Oliver replied trying to sound like his calm, collected self. He didn't realise that wasn't Barry's question.

"No, I asked what was that back there?" Barry said, finally getting his question to Oliver, whose face was really flustered but the man himself didn't even realise.

"Oh… that was...um..." Oliver mumbled, he couldn't find a way to excuse himself. "I thought… I would try...to be….better…?" He was just trying to throw something out of his mouth.

"Okay… whatever you say, man." Barry said, feeling unconvinced. "Anyways, Iris and I are going to head back now."

"Alright. Once again sorry about the wedding and congratulations whenever you do wed again." Oliver said, extending his arm hoping Barry would shake. But Barry dismissed it and they hugged instead.

"You know me, Oliver, I'm a hugs kind of guy!" Barry said bringing his thumb towards his chest. "Until next time!" He took Iris's arm and flashed away. Oliver shook his head with a smile and proceeded back to Star City.

* * *

A week had passed since then, and life for Kara had resumed back to normal. She was protecting National City as Supergirl and assisting the D.E.O with its operations. She had finished a dispatch she was on and was zooming back to HQ. As she landed she was greeted by her friends and co-workers.

"Nice work out there today, Kara" Alex said with a prideful smile, putting her arms on Kara's shoulder. Kara smiled back and thanked her for the praise.

"I think that was the last one for today, nothing else to report." Winn said in his relaying voice. He then switched to a more casual tone "Any of you guys free tonight?"

"I'd love to, but although I've been helping out with the crime here, I'm still exhausted from the stuff back on Earth-1" Kara said. Her mind was still wrapped up on what happened last week that it was making her really tired. "I'm going to pass for tonight. Maybe another time, Winn?"

"Yeah, alright." Winn said. He was a bit sad but understood nonetheless.

* * *

A few hours passed and night time came around. Kara was cooking some food to eat for dinner when she heard the doorbell ring. She went to go answer it and opened the door to see Alex.

"Alex? Uh… what's up?" Kara asked, letting her sister in. Alex proceeded to walk inside and turned to face Kara as she closed the door.

"I think we need to talk, Kara" Alex said. She just jumped straight to the point without any build up.

"Talk? About what exactly? Am I in trouble or something?" Kara said laughingly trying to make it seem less confronting.

"No, not in trouble. Just about those feelings you have for Oliver." Alex said as casually as can be. Kara had not realised what her sister had said until she was sat down on the couch.

"What...?! What are you on about, Alex?" Kara's face suddenly got really flustered. Hearing Oliver's name triggered her to think about their interaction last time they met. Which got her even more riled up. "There's nothing between me and Oliver!"

"Really? And I suppose that very long hug was what? Just nothing then?" Alex asked. Her eyes trying to meet Kara's.

"Yep! It was nothing! Haha…" Kara laughed fakely trying to pass off this confrontation as nothing. Her eyes avidly trying to avoid meeting Alex.

Alex knew her sister very well. Whenever she had shown signs for anyone she liked, she would always get instantly flustered and added more laughs than necessary. So this time around, she knew, but this time she would get Kara to admit it herself.

"Well if you say so then." Alex took her eyes off Kara and began to pick up a magazine lying on the coffee table. She began to flick through it as Kara looked at her. "I mean, he's totally not your type, right?"

Kara flinched when she heard that. But she didn't want to say anything.

"Looking at it now, you guys would probably NEVER end up together," Alex said, her head face hidden behind the magazine, with a smirk plastered on it. She then put the magazine down and got up. "Well, I'm starving. What are you cooking?" Alex headed towards the kitchen to look.

Kara just stood there. Hearing her sister say that line shook Kara quite a bit. She was contempt on making the issue of what happened back then as merely nothing. But the word just reverberated inside her head,  _ **NEVER.**_ She had never considered Oliver as nothing more than a friend, and that would have remained, if not for what happened last week. When she realised her doppelgangers were married she reacted innately to how she felt at the time. But as she discovered the love they had together, she saw two people that she knew that she felt had no chance of anything romantic, actually demonstrating the purest love and devotion she ever saw. It must be at that point that Kara's perception of her dynamic with Oliver change, even if she didn't know it. She never really considered Oliver to be a possible love interest, and maybe if she really did consider things, that it could perhaps work. But to be denied that, to not even have the chance to see if it would or would not work really ticked with Kara. It was honestly how a person would respond when told they're not allowed to have something. For Kara, being told she could NEVER be with Oliver just made her want it more and it was starting to drive her crazy. She finally gave in.

"Okay…" Kara uttered under her breath, but it was so low that only Alex heard a sound coming from her.

"You say something?" Alex asked. Trying not to look too accomplished.

"You… might be right…" Kara continued in a low, shy voice. "About… Oliver…"

Alex dropped what she was holding and raced to grab Kara by her arm and dragged her to the couch.

"Mm-hmm, spill it Kara, what's going on with you?" Alex said with big smile but one that comforted Kara in answering.

She told Alex what she saw between Earth-X Oliver and Earth-X Kara. How they were devoted to one another and how their love might be invoking something inside her.

"So, seeing those doppelgangers in love, made you feel that you and Oliver could be like that?" Alex asked to confirm what she was trying to say.

"Well if you put it that way, yes. But it's more like that the door is open for us now, even though I've never saw him like that before." Kara replied, her voice remained shy as ever, conveying her inner thoughts aloud to Alex.

"And now you're conflicted with how you feel about the relationship you have with him?" Alex asked.

"Yeah. I mean I never thought about him like that, but all I do now is think about him!" Kara spurted out before covering her mouth. Then proceeding to giggle with Alex.

The two finally settled from their laughter. Alex then looked at her firmly.

"Kara, I think you need to resolve this. You should go over to Earth-1 and talk to him" Alex said.

"What? No, I can't do that right now-" Kara was in mid-sentence when Alex interjected.

"Kara, you've obviously been trying to keep busy by helping out as Supergirl. But you're doing jobs that even a rookie can handle. " Alex said, she took her sister's hand and held it. "Just go and have a chat. I think you guys really need to get to know each other and this is a good as reason to!"

"B-But-" Kara trying to chime in, but her sister kept interrupting.

"Just go." Alex said, refusing to let her win. "Look at it this way, there might be a small chance he feels the same way! I mean he didn't let go."

Kara realised that Alex was right. Despite Kara being lost in her flashback for a while, Oliver didn't put up any kind of attempt to break away. This thought gave Kara a little smile. She quickly hid it away and shot up.

"Okay, I'll go first thing tomorrow morning!" Kara said, her jittery self returning which made Alex happier too. "For now, let's eat!"


	3. Welcome to Star City

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Alex convinces Kara to go to Earth-1 and spend some time in Star City. Following her advice she arrives and decides to meet up with Oliver.

Oliver was feeling really conflicted. He was sitting in his chair at the mayor office overlooking Star City, contemplating these emotions. He had just ended things with Felicity and things couldn't have been more awkward. On the upside, however, he had this unspoken thing going on with Kara at the moment that he did not fully understand yet. Kara had left so fast before he could really take in what had happened last week. He couldn't help but smile however, he could not deny that she was gorgeous and that optimistic nature of her's was infectious. His thoughts came to a halt as the sound of a knock brought him back to reality.

"Mr. Queen. You have a visitor." the assistant informed.

"Who is it?" Oliver asked. He spun around to look at his assistant.

"A woman, sir. Her name is Kara Danvers." the assistant replied promptly.

"Kara…?" Oliver muttered under his breath to himself. He quickly spoke to answer "Oh yes, tell Ms. Danvers I would like to see her". He had not expected Kara to come here. The assistant left the room and returned shortly to escort Kara in. After doing so, he made his leave.

The room was quiet, as the two just looked at each other waiting for either to say something. Oliver realised he had never been alone with Kara unless it was related to their Superhero work. Kara was the first one to initiate.

"Y'know, this is my first time really being in Star City," Kara said as she began to walk around, looking at various objects in the office. "It's not that bad, considering the stories Barry has told me."

"Yes, well that was a few years ago, back when I was called the Arrow," Oliver responded, still seated in his chair. He didn't know whether or not he could leave his chair. He continued "But when I was appointed Mayor, things have started to become better around here, not perfect, but better."

"Well you've done a good job, Mr. Mayor," Kara said, giving Oliver a thumbs up. She saw that made him smile and she couldn't help but feel good about that. Oliver got up from his chair and started to walk around as well.

"So, what brings you to Star City, Kara?" Oliver asked, trying to figure out the reason for her visit.

"Well I've just been thinking lately, that maybe we ought to get to know each other more," Kara said, stopping at Oliver's desk and sitting in one of the guest chairs. "I feel like the only one who I really know here is Barry, even though the three of us have teamed up twice now."

Oliver returned back to his seat and sat down. Their eyes met and Oliver got to see Kara more closely. She looked so different when she wasn't donning her cape and suit. Her ponytail hairstyle and glasses really gave contrast to when her hair is down but nonetheless, she was still beautiful. He had realised Kara was staring when her eyebrows raised, giving off a puzzled look.

"That's a fair point." Oliver quickly responded, hoping she had not noticed him staring at her. "Well, lunch is approaching soon. Why don't we go get something to eat?"

"Yeah, sure, sounds good," Kara replied, her smile came through, pleasant at how easy it was going so far. She saw that Oliver reacted to her smile with his own before he quickly dismissed it.

It amazed Kara at how different Oliver was when he was wasn't so serious. She had thought Oliver was made to seem like this mean person that didn't really enjoy other's company. However, since their initial meeting, Oliver had shown a more compassionate side last year when he finally accepted her into the team. The first time she saw him smile made her realise that not everyone is so cut and dry. She did admire though, the level of importance he placed upon his role as the Green Arrow. Even though she may not agree 100% with the methods he utilises, she had respect for the good he has accomplished thus far.

"Well, we should get going," Oliver said, rising from his seat. Kara got up in response as well. He came to stop in front of her. "I don't really go out to eat a lot, how does Big Belly Burger sound?"

"Mmm! I haven't had a burger in a while, so yeah!" Kara said. Oliver turned his head and with a smile and they both proceeded out of the building.

* * *

They arrived at the nearest Big Belly Burger joint they could find, it was a few blocks from the Mayor's Office. Oliver went ahead and ordered some food for the both of them. He decided to get the usual as he really didn't have a preference. He walked back to the booth Kara had scouted out, it was near a window and she was peering into the street, looking at the walking passerby. As Oliver approached, Kara's head turned to greet him back. They sorted out the food and began to eat. Oliver was caught off guard, Kara had begun to devour the food pretty quickly. He was pleased she was enjoying it.

"Y'know, the food here is kinda greasy," Kara said as she was mowing down her burger.

"I've heard that, apparently it's the secret ingredient." Oliver chimed in. He had begun to eat his burger as well.

"But, I've got to say, Big Belly Burger tastes the same anywhere!" Kara proclaimed, finishing her last bite. "It's amazing how that is, considering this is another Earth." She moved onto the fries, plucking them and feeding it into her mouth.

"Hmmm….." Kara was staring at her fries. Oliver looked at her, curious at what she was concerned about. "These fries are a bit too hot…". She lightly used her cold breath to cool it down a bit. Oliver's eyes widened at what she just did. He leaned in for a whisper.

"Kara…, I would appreciate it if you didn't use your...abilities when you're here,"Oliver said cautiously. Kara looked back at him, she was about to say something when Oliver quickly added. "It's just I'm under FBI surveillance at the moment, at their suspicion of me being the Green Arrow. Currently, Star City is not a big fan of heroes and vigilantes at the moment."

Kara's face expressed the guilt she had gained. "Oh… I-I didn't know. I guess different places view things differently, don't they?" Kara said. "Okay! I'll be more careful Oliver." She gave him a smile. Oliver's eyes immediately lower, but couldn't conceal the half-smile he had on his face.

The two returned to eat and talk about the food until finally, they both finished. Kara knew she could go on for a few more rounds but she kept it to herself to maintain the normalcy.

"You know, I'll be honest." Kara said, pushing aside her food tray to the side. "This wasn't as bad as I thought it would be." Oliver looked at her, he gave an interested look. Kara continued "Well being with you, I mean. Thought it'd be… umm well y'know… tense." Kara braced herself, expecting something gritty from Oliver. But instead Oliver gave a silent but audible laugh under his breath.

"Yes, I can be like that. But I would like to think, that after the few times we've worked together, I could come off as less… tense?" Oliver said.

"Yeah, you have. I thought you were just a grumpy person. But recently I do see this other.. Side of you. I understand a little better now why Barry and the others look up to you." Kara said, their eyes had met and she saw the smile that grew from Oliver's face. She felt really good being the one to do that.

"Well, since we're sharing. I was wrong about you too." Oliver said. He leaned in closer with a lower voice. "I can see why you put the S for super". Kara laughed. She gave a light-hearted sigh before correcting him.

"The S doesn't stand for Super, Oliver. But I get that a lot. It's actually my family's coat of arms. The House of El." Kara looked down towards her chest. Oliver could feel the pride Kara felt as she said those words.

"Well perhaps one of these days, you ought to tell me more about your home planet," Oliver said. Kara looked back up at Oliver.

"Of course!" Kara said and gave him a wink. Kara suddenly realise what she just did and started to turn red. She tried to hide her face but she heard Oliver chuckling. She uncovered her face and couldn't help but laugh with him. Eventually, they settled down.

"Well, would you like to tell me why you came here, Kara?" Oliver asked. She took a little deep breath and exhaled.

"Well like I mentioned earlier, I haven't really been here. The previous time I came to this Earth, it was just at Central City. I kind of just wanted to come and see what it's like" Kara said, she moved in closer and whispered, "and how the Green Arrow operates."

"I appreciate the concern Kara, but I've got things under control" Oliver responded, he put his back against the booth chair.

"Oh no no, I didn't mean it like that," Kara said, she felt she may have said something wrong. "It's just I have a friend back on my Earth, and he's been taking up a role as a vigilante."

"Hm, I see. And you're hoping to learn something from me being the Green Arrow?" Oliver asked.

"Maybe... I don't know. But I have this feeling I might get an answer for that while I'm here" Kara said.

"While you're here? You plan to stay here for a while?" Oliver asked, curious about how she had phrased it.

"Oh, yeah. Maybe a week or so. I mean you can't really take in everything I want to do in just a day, Oliver" Kara chuckled. Oliver still had a puzzled look on his face.

"A week? And where would you stay?" Oliver asked.

"Uhhh… I haven't really thought about that yet." Kara said with another laugh." I probably should have. Um...You know any good places here in Star City?"

Oliver put his head down. A smile drawn from what he just heard. It was amusing to him that someone who shared the same amount of responsibilities as he did, didn't think this far ahead. He turned his head back up. " Why don't you stay with me then?"

Kara's eyes widened as soon he as said that. She hadn't expected for Oliver to offer that. She was completely taken back at his sudden proposal. "Um… that's okay. I wouldn't want to impose on you and William."

"It's alright, Kara. You've come all the way from another Earth, I insist that you stay with us." Oliver said. He gave her a comforting smile.

"No… it's alright Oliver. I really couldn't." She looked away, trying to resist that smile.

"Well, you said it yourself. I'm pretty much the only person you've known the most here. And it would be nice... to have some company…" Oliver said as his voice got lower.

Kara gave Oliver a hard look. He looked really sincere and really keen to not back down. She looked down with a smile. "Okay, if you insist, I'll have to take you on your offer." She knew that it was going to be inevitable. It was funny, but Oliver reminded her of Alex. They weren't totally 1:1, but they did exert the same aura about themselves. "Man, you really are stubborn!". Oliver laughed. He couldn't count the number of time he has heard that said about him.

"Okay, that settles it then," Oliver said. Kara arched back on the seat with a big grin. Oliver returned with a smile of his own. "And hey, maybe if you wanted it, I could go see this friend of yours."

"Yeah, that'd be nice. Thanks, Oliver." Kara said, her face had really started to glow up. Oliver nodded back, signaling it was okay.

"Welcome to Star City," Oliver said putting his hand up. Kara looked at his hand. She laughed because Oliver had been smart to put both of them on opposite sides with the only appropriate gesture to perform was a handshake. She smiled whilst shaking her head. She returned the gesture and shooked.

"This is gonna be great!" Kara said excitedly.

The two cleaned up their table and headed out of the joint. Oliver led Kara back to his apartment. He opened the door leading inside. "Well, this is it. Make yourself at home."


	4. What's Going On?

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Accepting Oliver's proposal to stay with him, Kara uses her time in Earth-1 to explore and get to know him better.

Several days had passed since Kara's arrival at Star City. She made herself more acquainted with the city whilst Oliver was tending to his duties as Mayor. She had decided to stop by Central City to check in with Barry and the rest of Team Flash. While she was there, Kara discovered that he was dealing with a new foe called Devoe. He was a threat that Barry had never faced before. Barry had no idea what Devoe had planned for him but was confident he would stop him. Kara had offered to help but Barry refused and insisted he had it under control. She respected his wish and bid farewell to the Team before making her way back to Star City.

* * *

Meanwhile back in Star City, Oliver was waiting outside a building. He had told Kara to meet him there when she was done in Central City. He had a few hours to spare and decided it was an appropriate time to show it to Kara. That was the plan, but Kara was running late and hadn't shown up yet. He checked his watch to realise it had been 20 minutes past 1. He was about to think she wouldn't show up until he heard a voice hailing from his left.

"Hey!" Kara shouted as she was sprinting. She was doing it normally however to maintain normalcy. She came to a stop in front of Oliver. "Whoo... sorry, I'm late. I kinda got lost."

"Again… you guys have super speed but somehow end up late." Oliver said. He let out a sigh before continuing. "Alright, well at least you're here. Let's go." He turned around to go inside and Kara followed suit.

When Kara stepped inside, she saw a normal interior of an office building. She began to wonder what Oliver had wanted to do here. They came to stop in front of a wall.

"Uh... What are we doing here?" Kara asked, confused at what she was supposed to see. Oliver said nothing but then moved his hand to push a button. The wall began to open up revealing an elevator. Kara's jaw drops and couldn't help but get excited. "Oh my god! Is this what I think it is?!" Kara shouted as she got excited and walked inside. She looked back at Oliver who gave a nod. He got inside as well, his hands behind his back. She saw he had a very a prideful smile on his face. He looked like one of those people showing off his toys. The elevator descended and reached its destination. She walked out with Oliver behind her. The room she entered was filled with various computers, equipment and everything else that screamed secret lair.

"Wow…! So this is your secret hideout?" Kara said, her head turning to admire various things. "What'd you guys call this, the Arrow Cave?" She had turned to look at Oliver who was quick to interject.

"We don't call it that…" Oliver said quickly in response to her question. Kara could see that he wasn't very fond of the name. "I just call it the loft." Kara gave a nod to signal she had understood. She turned around to see Diggle and Felicity were already set up there. They came down to greet the two of them.

"Oh! Kara, hey! Welcome to the Arrow Cave!" Felicity said, coming in to give her a hug. Kara turned her head to Oliver to see him shaking his head. She gave a quick chuckle before John came in for a hug as well. "Oliver said you were in town. How does it look?"

"It looks amazing! I mean the place looks very high tech and equipped!" Kara answered. They had begun to walk around to show her the place.

"Yes, we had a lot of help from Barry and the others at S.T.A.R labs," Oliver said They had walked up the stairs to where the main computers were. "Cisco and Felicity came up with the schematics and all that stuff." Kara was taking in everything and was amazed at the interior design. She saw something that piqued her interested and headed towards it.

"Wow… so this is where you keep your bow and arrows?" Kara asked. Oliver had stopped by her side.

"Yes, it's my preferred weapon, so It needs to be nearby for when I suit up," Oliver said. He turned away before continuing. "But I want to show you something, Kara." Kara turned her gaze from the bow and hurried after Oliver She came to a halt to what seemed to be a bunch of cases. As they neared it, they began to open up.

"These are polycarbonate cases that are keyed to each individual's biometrics," Oliver said. The cases opened up to show the suits were placed there. Kara couldn't believe she was seeing one of those.

"There are a quite a few here… it's pretty cool!" Kara said. She began to walk down looking at each individual suit. "With this much, you could probably start your own club… or league...or something!"

"League, huh…?" Oliver said softly under his breath to himself. He quickly got back and led Kara to a case which was empty. Kara stopped to look inside, trying to look for something but ended up confused.

"Who does this belong to?" Kara asked turning to Oliver. He was already looking at her. He gave a smile.

"This is yours, Kara," Oliver said. He saw Kara clasp her mouth with her hands and her eyes began to widen at what he just said. She turned her head back to the case.

"What? Are you serious?! No… I-I couldn't…" Kara said. She was at a loss for words. She couldn't believe they had made a case for her. She was hardly around on Earth-1 but yet they went as far as to creating one just for her. It was a bit too much for Kara.

"Well, we had one made for Barry as well, a few years ago…" Oliver said. He could see that Kara was trying to dismiss it, but it was already done. "Now that you're part of the team, I thought it would be fitting if you had yours as well." Kara turned to Oliver, he could see that he was giving her a smile that just welcomed her. She turned to look at the other and they were giving the same look. She put her head briefly and began to smile herself.

"Aww… that's sweet of you, you guys!" Kara said, giving each of them a sincere thank you look in her eyes. Without thinking she leaped towards Oliver and gave him a hug. Oliver was caught off guard as she came in but as they connected she began to feel it again. Her heart started to pick up in beat and she wanted to retract but she was pulled back by the warmth. Oliver had felt the same thing, the warmth was so inviting and uplifting that it left them completely interlocked in each other's embrace. They eventually pulled away as they looked into each other's eyes. This time around they stuck around to see the other's reaction. The two had begun to birth the thought that perhaps they had confirmed something, however, Oliver was the first one to break the spell by coughing.

"I'm glad you like it, Kara," Oliver said. He hadn't been able to stop smiling since the hug and it wasn't helping that Kara was as well. She changed her expression as she finally pulled herself together.

"I do… but y'know, there is just one problem…" Kara said. She saw Oliver raised one of his eyebrows to suggest his confusion. She continued. "I only have 1 suit. And having it under my normal clothes is faster for me to suit up as opposed to getting into it. I mean have superspeed, so it looks fast to you, but I still have to get into it my time as well!" She began to pout, with her cheeks blowing up.

"Yes, I understand that. Just take it as our symbolism to commemorate you for your help." Oliver said. Kara turned back to face the case.

"Alright then. Thanks, everyone." Kara said. She turned around to face everyone and gave everyone one of her big grins. The other two returned the expression with their own smiles. It was a joyful moment for everyone in the room but John was the one to break the ice.

"So Oliver, what should we do about Cayden James?" John asked. He crossed his arms and gave Oliver a serious look.

"Who's Cayden James?" Kara asked. She looked at everyone and eventually landed at Oliver who answered her.

"He's someone I'm dealing with at the moment," Oliver responded, his face had returned to his calm, collected self. He turned to look at John and continued to answer his question. "As for our cause of action… nothing. For the moment. As much I as want to find him, we still don't know what he's planning. Until we figure that out, we can't do anything" Oliver addressed. He moved his hand to straighten his tie. "Anyways… I need to be heading back to the office." He turned to look at Kara. "Thanks for coming with me today, Kara."

"Hey, thanks for showing me the loft and for the awesome case!" Kara said. She noticed the smile she drew from him.

"Okay, I'll see you later tonight then," Oliver said. He turned around to ride the elevator back up. Kara stayed at the loft for a while to see anything else she could discover and just talked with John and Felicity.

Kara had wandered over to Oliver's bow and was looking at it. She had wondered why Oliver had preferred to use a bow. She had seen different people use different kinds of weapons but the bow was not so popular, at least on her Earth. But when it came to Oliver, he made using the bow look elegant. He was the only one she knew that could pull it off. When she was done looking she said goodbye to John and Felicity and headed back to the apartment.

* * *

It was around 8:30 pm and Oliver had finished for the day. He arrived back to the apartment but no one was there to meet him in the living room. He could hear in the distance some chatter coming from William's room. He figured they must be hanging out in his bedroom. He went to the kitchen and began firing up a pan to cook some food. Once he was done he headed to his room and found Kara and William playing video games together. They saw him arrived at the door and greeted him.

"Hey, dad! How was work today?" William said. He looked at Oliver with curiosity.

"It was good, buddy. How are you two doing? Getting along?" Oliver responded. He looked at both of them. Their eyes were occupied with the current game.

"Yeah pretty good! Kara's been beating me! We're nearly tied on our win and losses" William said. The two of them were continuously mashing at the game and finally, they both stopped to which meant that the round was over.

"What's the game?" Oliver said. Turning his head to see what was on screen. It was a fighting game that had superhero like fighters fight amongst themselves. Kara finally spoke up.

"Man, this girl in the cape is pretty strong," Kara said, putting her controller down. "It's funny, she kinda looks like me…" But she didn't give it too much thought before dismissing it by shaking her head and facing Oliver.

"Oh! What's this?" Kara said. She was eyeing the plate Oliver was holding in his hand and then looked at him.

"I made some eggs for dinner, help yourselves," Oliver said. Handing the plates to the two of them.

"Oh, you can cook Oliver?" Kara said, accepting the plate from Oliver. She began to pick up the eggs with her fork and started to eat.

"Not much, but I think I make some good eggs" Oliver responded. He looked at her waiting for her reaction.

Kara had put a few bites into her mouth and looked back at Oliver. "They're pretty good, I have to say." She gave him a smile. Oliver was pleased that she enjoyed it and turned to William who was also enjoying them. He sat down with them and began to join in with his own plate. They continued to eat and talk, discussing what they did that day. Kara was the first one to finish and she watched the other two eat until they all finished. As Oliver got up, the doorbell rang. He excused himself and went to go answer it. He opened the door to see Thea on the other side.

"Speedy! Hey, how are you? Come on in." Oliver greeted. He made way to welcome his sister in. As Thea walked in, she saw Kara and William standing by the kitchen table. They both waved at her.

"Ah, well it's been awhile so I think I should formally introduce. Thea, this is Kara. Kara, this is Thea, my sister." Oliver said. They both exchanged a hello.

"Heard you were staying in town for a while Kara? Hope my brother hasn't been a pain." Thea said. She gave Oliver a cheeky smile.

"Yeah, I am. And Oliver's been great." Kara said giving both of them a comforting smile.

"Not bad, Ollie." She continued to give Oliver the cheeky grin before turning to Kara again. "Well, hope you enjoy your time here." She said to Kara. Kara nodded back as a thank you before heading off with William. Oliver closed the door and locked it. He found Thea still waiting for him. She pulled Oliver to the side.

"Ollie, what's this?" Thea asked in a low voice. Oliver raised his eyebrow in confusion. "What's Kara doing in your apartment?" She clarified.

"She was visiting Star City, and she needed a place to stay for a while. So I offered her to stay here." Oliver answered. He saw that it didn't satisfy her.

"Really Ollie?" Thea asked again. Oliver gave her a shrug. She let out a sigh. "You don't normally just invite someone to stay at your house."

"Well, she had nowhere else to go," Oliver answered.

"C'mon Ollie. I'm your sister. Even if you've been gone for five years, I can still tell things about you. And I know…" Thea said as she looked into Oliver's eyes. He could feel something was being implied by the tone and phrasing of her words."She could've stayed with me or Felicity, but you insisted that she stay with you. Even if you don't know, I know…".

"What are you talking about, Speedy? There's nothing-" Oliver said. He stopped abruptly to as he saw Thea's constant unwavering eyes. She seemed intent on not giving up her questioning. Oliver concluded that it was futile to keep resisting. She had the same genes as he did and the stubbornness was a family trait. He let out a sigh.

"Fine… you may be right...about Kara." Oliver said in low voice. He could see Thea starting to lighten up. " I don't know what it is, but... I…." Oliver trickled off, he didn't finish.

"Heh, so you are smitten!" Thea said far too proudly.

"Simply put…. Yes." Oliver confirmed. Thea let out a small laugh. She looked back at Oliver.

"But when?" She asked. Oliver took a bit before answering.

"I suppose since Barry and Iris's wedding," Oliver answered.

"Wow, that's quite recent," Thea said. Oliver gave her a nod. "Y'know when I was younger, I always thought you and Laurel would be together. But I wouldn't mind if it was Kara. I know I've only known for a short while, but I like her already."

"Yeah. It might be a bit complicated with Kara, but we'll see…" Oliver said. He turned around to put his arm around his sister and they continued inside the apartment.

The four of them spent the night together playing board games and chatting throughout the night. William was the first one to head to bed. Afterwards Thea told stories of Oliver before he was a vigilante to Kara. She told him about when he was a playboy billionaire and the life they led. Kara was surprised to hear this. She couldn't imagine Oliver in that light because of her initial impressions. It added to the mystery of how he became who he is today and what led him there. The trio had spent the night exchanging stories until an alert had disrupted them. Oliver quickly responded.

"We have a problem," Felicity said on the other side of the line. "A group of mercenaries hired by Ricardo Diaz are attacking the Star City Bank. They have hostages."

"Okay, I'm on my way," Oliver responded, hanging up the call and began to suit up. He came back out to see Kara donned in her Supergirl outfit. He was taken aback again by the superspeed again before regaining himself.

"Kara, I can't have you with me tonight. I told you about the anti-vigilante law" Oliver said as he was reaching for his bow.

"Well technically, I'm more of a superhero. And besides you don't have to worry about me, I'm bulletproof." Kara said with a grin.

"Look, I just can't-" Oliver started but he was cut off by Kara.

"Oliver, please…" Kara gave him a serious look. He saw that she was determined. He struggled internally with his decision.

"Ollie… go with her. I've got William." Thea chimed in. Kara and Oliver looked at Thea. Oliver looked back at Kara and saw the same expression. He let out a sigh and concluded his decision.

"All right. But you're going to have to wear this." Oliver said as he walked into his bedroom. He returned with a black theme suit that Oliver had worn on a mission where he couldn't be the Green Arrow.

"What's this?" Kara asked as Oliver was returning to her.

"As it is right now if you were to show up as Supergirl, They are most definitely going to ridicule you in a bad light. You probably don't care about that, but it's bad enough as it is for them to outlaw me. Until things have settled in Star City, I can't have Supergirl tarnished, not like I have been." Oliver explained. Kara was taken aback at his reasoning. Oliver had cared about her role as Supergirl and what it meant on her Earth. It seemed that the world of politics was something unfamiliar to her. As reluctant as she is to abandon her suit for a while, she considered and understood his reasoning. She accepted his proposal.

"All right, Oliver," Kara said. She took the clothes and changed into them. As she was done they both walked to the open balcony. They turned around to face Thea who had called them.

"Go get em, guys," Thea said with a nod. They returned it back with their own.

"We don't have much time. Kara, can you fly?" Oliver asked.

"Of course, any time," Kara responded.

"Let's go," Oliver said. The duo headed out from the apartment and made their way to the scene.


	5. Flamebird

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The night was cut short when Oliver is informed there was an attack at Star City Bank. Oliver and Kara team up on their first mission together.

The Star City Bank had been attacked by a group of hired grunts and there had been reports of a hostage situation. Oliver and Kara had suited up and headed off to the scene. He had Kara take him with her by flight to make it there as fast as they could. As they flew, Oliver guided her to the location and shortly after they landed on a rooftop near the bank. They stood together, peering unto the other side to survey the area. They didn't see anything suspicious going on outside. Oliver reached for his head-piece and connected himself with the team.

"Overwatch, we're here. No suspicious activity outside seems like police haven't arrived yet." Oliver reported.

"We? Who's with you?" Felicity asked. Kara got close to Oliver to speak into his mic.

"It's me!" Kara inputted. Her voice was full of excitement. She saw Oliver giving her a look.

"Oh? You guys are teaming up? That's awesome! Well, they haven't really done much. So there's no immediate danger. But be careful guys, keep us updated." Felicity said. Oliver responded with an okay and they signed off the comms.

"Hey Oliver, can I ask you something?" Kara asked. Oliver turned to face her. He gave a curious look.

"Yeah, what is it?" Oliver responded.

"Well, since we're not going to go with me being Supergirl in Star City just yet…" Kara said. She trickled off and waited to see if the line of questioning was okay. She saw that Oliver was fine and waited for her to continue. "I thought maybe… I could use a different name in the meantime."

"Oh? And what did you have in mind?" Oliver asked.

"I was thinking about… Flamebird." Kara said. She saw Oliver responded with a confused look.

"Flamebird? What… what is that?" Oliver asked, it wasn't a name he had thought Kara would have said.

"Well… back on Krypton, they were a crime-fighting duo that gave hope to a lot of people. I thought perhaps I could bring their legacy and share it here." Kara said. Oliver gave her a little smile and a light-hearted sigh.

"All right. Then let's do this, Flamebird." Oliver said with a nod. Kara nodded back, she was happy that Oliver had accepted her proposal. Oliver turned back to face the bank and Kara followed suit.

"All right, can you look inside? Tell me what you see." Oliver said. Kara responded with a nod and activated her x-ray vision. She began to examine the interior of the bank, scanning both floors and make note of everything she saw. She came back and reported what she saw.

"Well, there's a lot of them in what I think is the main lobby. They've knocked out the guards and put them together in a room. They don't look harmed. But all of them are just standing there, so I think maybe they're guarding something. There's probably about 10-12 of them and they're all armed with 3 more further in. But the strange thing is… I can't find the hostages." Kara said finishing her report.

"You can't? It can't be a false claim, could it?" Oliver asked.

"Who knows? But I can't see any other individuals besides who I just described." Kara answered. Oliver let out a sigh.

"Well, we still have to move in. You ready?" Oliver asked.

"Wait, you just wanna go busting in there?" Kara asked back. Oliver got confused. Kara gave a half-smile.

"C'mon, if we're going to do this. Let's do it more… efficiently." Kara said.

"You have a plan in mind?" Oliver asked. He saw Kara had a big grin on her face.

* * *

Meanwhile, inside the Star City bank. The group of thugs were walking around patrolling the area. They were holding their rifles making the rounds to intercept any interference. One of them, supposedly the leader spoke up.

"Okay, boys! We're being paid good money tonight, so you better keep your asses alert and make sure the boss doesn't get messed with." He shouted. He panned his head to look at each of them. "Are we clear?!" He asked. They responded in unison. "YES!"

After that, one of the thugs returned and he was bringing alongside him a person. "Hey, guys! I think I've found a straggler here. Found her in one of the hallways. She looks suspicious if you ask me!"

It was Kara, she had gone inside the building and one of the grunts had found her. The grunt had her hands moved behind her to restrain her. The leader-looking type came forward. "Well, what do we have here? Aren't you a pretty one?" He was eyeing her up. Kara felt gross but she decided to keep it down. He continued " Why are you dressed like that? Especially at this time of the night? Out for a stroll?" He had gone on to mock her for a while. Kara finally looked back up.

"What are you guys doing here?" Kara asked. She had tuned him out after his initial line.

"None of your business, girl. And if you want to make it out of here alive, I suggest you keep quiet." The grunt said, in an attempt to intimidate her. However, Kara was unfazed.

"You know you're not going to get away with this?" Kara said.

"Is that right? And you're going to stop us? Is that it?" He said, he began to laugh which induce the other ones to join in. After it settled they looked at Kara and saw she had a smile on her face.

"I could… but…" Kara said but she trickled off. She turned her head and use her eyes to guide the thugs to follow her gaze. They turned to follow what she was looking at and instantly recognised it. It was the green-hooded vigilante peering onto them from the opposite building. The sight of him began to shook them.

"But it's better to do it with a friend," Kara said, turning to look back at them. She had a smirk on her face. The thugs began to ready their rifles.

"It's the Green Arrow! Get him!" one of them shouted to induce their action. However Oliver was faster, he had readied a flashbang arrow and fired it. It pierced the window and hit the floor in front of the thugs and exploded in front of them leading them to be disoriented. Kara used that moment of distraction to burst herself free from her captor and knocked him out. Oliver fired a grappling hook arrow and slid in to join up with Kara.

"Took you long enough!" Kara jested. Oliver gave her a light-hearted sigh.

"This is your plan, isn't it?" Oliver replied.

"Heh! Fair enough." Kara said. They turned to face the thugs who had regained their senses.

They aimed their guns right at them.

"You made a mistake coming down here. You can't possibly beat all of us!" A grunt shouted. They began to fire at them. Kara jumped in front of Oliver using her body to rebound the bullets that were incoming. They stopped their firing when they realised it wasn't doing anything.

"What the hell?! The bullets just bounced off her! What the hell is she?!" one of them screamed. They didn't get a chance to take a break. Oliver jumped to the side from behind Kara and fired a double arrow that split to disarm two of the thugs. They began to look at the ones who got disarmed and were caught up in their own confusion. Oliver turned to face Kara.

"Don't go too overboard," Oliver said.

"You don't have to tell me!" Kara responded, she gave him a wink and began to sprint into the goons.

They hadn't realised Kara was there until one of them was knocked out. They turned their attention to her and began to focus their attacks on her. One of them would run at her whilst the others fired. Kara was using only a portion of her strength as to avoid quickly finishing them but was still giving them work. Oliver was firing arrows, using Kara as the distraction to disarm them one by one. They continued till eventually there were all disarmed and only three were standing left. Kara supersped and gathered them together in a bunch. Oliver finished it by firing a bola arrow to bound the remaining three. They came together to meet up.

"Good work," Oliver said with a nod.

"You too," Kara said, nodding back. She tried to look calm as Oliver but she couldn't help but smile. She saw that he couldn't as well and smiled back. The moment only last for so long until it was interrupted by a sudden sound of a person clapping their hands. Oliver and Kara turned to look at the source of the sound and saw two figures approaching them. They stopped at the opposite side of the lobby. It was Cayden James and Ricardo Diaz.

"Ah, Mr. Queen. Seems like you did come after all." Cayden said, initiating the conversation. He began to move his eyes to look at the knocked out grunts. He finally turned to look back at the duo. "I had hoped these idiots would have dealt with you. I hadn't expected you to bring a friend along, however." He turned to focus his gaze on Kara. "She's quite the unknown variable. Isn't she?"

"It's over, Cayden. Now tell me what you're plotting here!" Oliver shouted, ignoring Cayden's question.

"No, it's not. And I don't have any reason to tell you." Cayden said, his face full of his usual confidence. "Besides, I think you should be more concerned about something else, shouldn't you?". They began to ponder what he had meant for a bit before realising what it was.

"Where are the hostages?!" Kara shouted. Cayden gave a little chuckle.

"A bit feisty aren't we?"Cayden said. He then proceeded to take something from his pocket. "I've just set off my detonators." Oliver and Kara's eyes began to widen. "There's no need for those looks. It's merely just begun to set the location ablaze. You could easily defeat me here. But would you have time to find the hostages and save them?" Cayden said. Oliver turned to look at Kara and closed his eyes to think. Cayden continued, "You have two options here: Either you can stop us and leave the hostages to die. Or you can save the hostages now with what little time you have left and we'll be on our way." Oliver reopened his eyes and gave his answer.

"We can do both," Oliver answered. Kara turned to look at him. "Go save the hostages, Kara. I can deal with these two." Kara turned to look at the other two then back to Oliver before nodding at him to signal she understood. She flew out of the building in an instant.

"Think you're clever, do you?" Cayden asked mockingly. He turned to Ricardo who had begun to walk forward.

"Mr. Queen, I don't think we've formally met. Allow me to introduce myself, I am-" Ricardo was talking before he got interrupted by Oliver who begun to take a few steps.

"I know who you are," Oliver interjected. He readied his bow and began pulling back an arrow. "Ricardo Diaz, you have failed this city!" Oliver shouted, firing the arrow towards Ricardo. It was a quick shot, as per the standard of Oliver's archery skills. What was unexpected, however, was that Ricardo had caught the arrow with one of his hands. Oliver hadn't expected him to catch it. His eyes widened as the man he was looking at had suddenly changed. He wasn't just some drug dealer anymore, but now possessed an unknown aura that caught Oliver off-guard. Ricardo drew a smile on his face, with the arrow still in hand.

"As I was saying before you rudely interrupted me. I am known as Ricardo Diaz, but to a few others, I am better known as Richard Dragon." Dragon said, his voice was full of power. Oliver hadn't recognised the name, but he saw the expression on the man's face. He was now exerting confidence that was previously not seen before. He didn't have enough time to process things however before Dragon made his move. He threw away the arrow in his hand and began to run straight at Oliver. Oliver shifted his bow into melee stance and ran straight to Dragon as well.

Meanwhile, Kara had flown out of the Star City Bank. She flew to a high altitude to overlook the city and she began to close her eyes. She used her enhanced hearing to isolate anything to point her towards the hostages. It didn't take long before she found a bunch of screams coming from a few blocks east. She immediately flew into that direction. It was an apartment complex that stood 5 stories tall. The fire had begun to scale and made its progress around the building. She x-rayed the building to find out which floor they were on and concluded it was the third floor. She burst into the room where all the hostages were. The room was full of smoke and thing had started to fall apart due to the fire. The hostages were all bound to chairs. She saw that were children among them alongside the adults who might've been their parents. They all began to look at the sudden individual who had just burst inside the room. Their eyes were filled with terror and despair.

"Everyone! It's going to be fine! I need you to look down!" Kara shouted, instructing the people. They followed suit and moved their heads accordingly. Kara took a deep breath and exhaled using her frost breath to extinguish the fire. She moved it around everywhere to make sure she got it all. When she finished, she proceeds to free all of them. She then flew out of the building to extinguish the rest of the building. It took a bit but she completely extinguished it. She landed on the ground and saw that everyone was exiting the building. They immediately reunited with family members and were rejoicing in their survival. Kara had stood from a distance and was smiling at the sight she was looking at. Only a few moments ago they were filled with despair. But she managed to save them and in return, they were looking more hopeful than ever. She was lost in her thought when she didn't realise that someone was standing next to her. She turned to look at them and saw that it was one of the children that had escaped.

"I saw what you did in there, lady! You were so cool!" the little girl exclaimed. Kara gave the little girl a smile. The girl continued "How did you do that? Do you have powers or something? You're so amazing!" The girl continued to shout out several praises before Kara finally decided to calm her down. Kara put a finger to her lips.

"Yes, that was me. But don't tell anyone, okay? It'll be our little secret?" Kara said. The girl had clambered up, her back stiff as a rock. She had nodded back as a signal. "Good! Now you should get back to your parents before they worry."

"Okay, see you lady!" the little girl said before heading back to her parents. Kara followed her with her eyes and saw the parents looking at her. They were smiling back. Perhaps they knew as well? Maybe they didn't. There wasn't much time for Kara to think before she remembered that Oliver was still back at the bank. She picked herself back up and ran back towards him.

* * *

 Meanwhile back at the Star City Bank. Oliver was squaring off with Dragon. Oliver had braced himself after he caught the arrow with his hand. However, Oliver wasn't fully prepared for the might that Dragon had brought to the table. He was using the fact that Oliver was off guard to completely overwhelm Oliver. Every hit that Oliver threw he countered much harder. Dragon was without a doubt an exceptional fighter. Dragon spun to kick the arm Oliver was holding his bow in and disarmed Oliver. Oliver was surprised he got disarmed but Dragon kept proceeding to deal damage. He laid a barrage of hits into Oliver's abdomen and they were powerful hits. Oliver managed to move his arms to block the barrage but Dragon switched his moves and did a sweep kick that knocked Oliver on his backside. Oliver had been overwhelmed, his abdomen was in pain and he was in a vulnerable position with no bow in hand. Dragon stood above Oliver, looking down at him. It was clear that in this fight, Dragon had won.

"I win. Green Arrow." Dragon said. He had a smirk on his face. Oliver couldn't look at him back. He was defeated. Dragon had begun to go in throw a final punch to knock Oliver out. But he got sent flying to the other side and he slid on the floor till he hit the door. Oliver looked back up and saw Kara was standing above him.

"Oliver! Are you okay?" Kara shouted. Her face was full of worry. She began to kneel down and tried to help him up. She saw Oliver's eyes widened.

"Kara! Watch out!" Oliver uttered as loud as he could. Kara turns to see what he was referring to but couldn't see what it was in time. She was sent flying across the room and hit the wall. Oliver turned to see that it was Black Siren. She had used her cry to send Kara flying. She gave Oliver a look before heading towards Dragon and escaping with him. Kara was still on the other side. Oliver mustered his strength and got up. He started to limp over to Kara. He got a good look at her. She wasn't knocked out, but looked really disorientated. He knelt down beside her.

"You okay, Kara?" Oliver asked. Kara recognised that it was Oliver who came. She saw that he was worried about her too.

"Yeah, I'm fine… Just a little disorientated…" Kara mumbled. It took a bit for her to regain her senses. "What was that? I wasn't expecting that at all.." Kara continued.

"That was Black Siren. She has an ability that lets her send out powerful cries." Oliver explained.

"Oh. I thought you said there weren't any Metas in Star City." Kara said.

"There usually isn't. But ever since last year we've got two new ones." Oliver responded. He sat down and put his back on the wall alongside Kara. He then continued "How'd it go with the hostages?"

"Yeah, I handled it. Managed to find them and got everyone out." Kara said. She saw Oliver smile. He wasn't looking at her but she still noticed it. "Y'know, the whole anti-vigilante law thing doesn't represent everyone. A girl I saved tonight showed me that perhaps Star City does need its heroes."

"I know that, Kara. It's why I started all this. But I also want to change the city and I want to do it fairly. I have faith that one day that day will come. It just isn't that day right now." Oliver said. Kara was surprised to see that Oliver had thought a lot about this. She didn't really care much when it came to politics but to Oliver that realm is a part of his world. She didn't understand a lot of what Oliver was going through but she no doubt had respect for what he was trying to achieve. Kara finally shook off her last bit of weariness before shooting up. She realised that Oliver had been bruised up.

"Oliver, we need to head back! You're hurt!" Kara shouted. She saw that Oliver wasn't reciprocating the same worried look for himself.

"Kara, I've taken worse beatings than this," Oliver said with a gruntled chuckle.

"Well, it seems the enemies have escaped. So I think we should go anyways." Kara said. Oliver gave her a sigh and nodded. She proceeded back to the apartment carrying Oliver.


	6. Who I Am

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> After the events at the Bank, Kara and Oliver return back safely.

It took no time for Kara to fly back with Oliver to his apartment. They landed on the balcony, with Kara helping Oliver up on her shoulder. Thea, who had been on the couch tending to her own business saw the two arrived and was surprised by what she saw. She got up quickly and went to open the door for them.

"Oh my god, what happened?" Thea asked, her face full of worry. Oliver gave her a gruntled chuckle as Kara walked him in through the door. As they got through she closed the door behind them and caught up to them. Kara slowly laid Oliver on the couch, careful to avoid hurting him. Oliver waved his hand, signaling that he was alright. He had gone through a lot worse during the 5 years he was away, but to the two women staring at him they had no idea. Thea had adjusted to Oliver's lifestyle but still seeing a family member like that still made her worry regardless of how tough he was. She came down to sit aside her brother and asked him again.

"Can you tell me what happened now?" Thea asked. Oliver looked down and let out a sigh before returning to look at his sister.

"We ran into Cayden James and his friends," Oliver responded. Thea had a confused look on her face.

"The hacker guy? How on earth did they beat you?" Thea asked.

"It was his ally, Ricardo Diaz. Well, I guess he calls himself Richard Dragon now. I underestimated him and he used that against me." Oliver said.

"Dragon…Dragon... Hmm, I don't think I've ever heard of a Richard Dragon before." Thea said, she had thought over if she recalled the name but to no avail.

"Me neither. But whoever he is, he's definitely dangerous. I won't make the same mistake twice." Oliver said firmly. Kara and Thea saw that he had a determined face. Thea turned to face Kara.

"I'm guessing you had to come in and save him?" Thea asked Kara, her tone had shifted to a lighter tone. Kara sensed she was easing the mood and complied.

"Yep, I got there just in time. But then another woman showed up and they escaped together." Kara said. Thea turned to face Oliver, her eyebrows raised with suspicion.

"Laurel," Oliver said promptly.

"Oh," Thea said, nodding her head to suggest she understood. A slight moment had passed before Thea remembered the situation. She turned her attention from his face and continued to look at his body. "Well, let's see if there are any injuries, Ollie." Oliver shook his head in an attempt to waive off her suggestion but she dismissed it and turned to Kara. "Can you help me with this?" Kara's eyes widened at Thea's suggestion.

"Huh?" Kara let out in response. She was caught off-guard by her proposal.

"Well, the upper part of this suit is pretty hard to take off, I could use your help. I need to see if there's anything wrong with him." Thea explained calmly.

She saw Kara's expression changed and nodded that she was going to comply. Kara came in closer and assisted Thea in opening up the top piece of Oliver's suit. She let Thea undo the last one as she steps back. Thea finished opening up Oliver's suit and revealed his bare torso. Kara let out a light scream as she saw it fully unveiled. It was her first time seeing Oliver like this and she didn't know what to expect but she was not ready for what her eyes had seen. His body was covered in scars that ran through huge portions of his upper torso. She had never seen a person with so many scars before and to be suddenly exposed to that was a shock to her. Her eyes ran over his body, shifting from one to another. Thea let out a light-hearted chuckle which drew Kara's attention.

"I had the same reaction when I first saw them too," Thea said, she gave her a look to assure her that what she was looking at was real. Kara saw that Thea was not as shocked as her. In fact, it appeared to Kara that she was the odd one out. To the other two, this was already the norm. It led Kara to believe that Oliver had received those scars from before today. She turned to look at Oliver, his expression was no different from Thea. She pondered in her thoughts and wondered what on Earth did he go through. Thea had returned to assess Oliver's body. She went at it for a while before reaching her conclusion.

"Well I'm no expert, but the most you have is a few bruises," Thea reported. She got up from the couch. "I'm going to get some ice for them." She turned around and headed towards the kitchen to find some ice. Oliver turned to face Kara who had been staring at him for a while. Her face suggested that she was uncomfortable and confused in a reaction to the scars on his body.

"It's alright, Kara. All this happened a long time ago." Oliver said, he was attempting to reassure her. Kara didn't respond immediately. She continued to stare for a moment longer before she finally spoke up.

"This… This was on the island… wasn't it, Oliver?" Kara said, she looked at him with sorrowful eyes. He looked back at her and saw her expression.

"Yes," Oliver replied. He shifted his eyes down to avoid meeting her eyes.

"I see," Kara said. She had assumed correctly. She had learned from Barry during her visit to Central City. However, it occurred to Kara that there was more to that story that Barry had let on or even knew. The origin of Oliver Queen. That story was a mystery to Kara and although she didn't want to pry, she could not help feeling curious. "Can… Can I ask what happened?" Kara asked cautiously. Oliver remained silent for a while before he answered her.

"I… I don't want to talk about it, Kara," Oliver replied, his voice was low and full of sorrow.

"Oh, that's okay… I'm sorry I asked." Kara said apologetically. She felt a sense of guilt in bringing up a sad subject.

"It's not that… it's just I…" Oliver said but he trickled off. He didn't know how to finish that sentence. He just stared into Kara's eyes. He saw how terrible Kara felt. It made him feel bad. He had tried to talk about his time away many times before but the thought of it brought Oliver back to the most tormented moments in Oliver's life. Add to fact that last year, Adrian Chase made him realise how much Oliver really enjoyed killing had shaken the entire premise. To be frank, he felt shameful. In contrast to someone like Kara, he couldn't bring himself to tell her. They remained looking at each other, basking in the uncomfortable tension that had surfaced. The moment was broken with the sound of someone clearing their throat. They turned to see that it was Thea, who had come back with a pack of ice. She sat down again aside her brother and began to apply the ice pack on the bruised area. Oliver gave a slight twitch in response to the cold ice touching his skin. Kara and Thea let out a small laughter at Oliver's reaction. Oliver turned away trying to hide his embarrassment from the two. Oliver took over holding the ice pack and held it against the bruised area. He felt the pain ached as he held against it but knew it would benefit him, in the long run, to continue doing so. He lifted his head up to look at the others and saw their attention had been drawn elsewhere. He followed their gaze and saw that it had been William who they were staring at. He was standing just outside his bedroom door and staring out towards the three surrounding the couch. He met William's eyes who had look distraught and had begun shaking his head. Oliver recognised the situation he was in and tried to get up but William went back to his bedroom. Oliver grunted as he got up as the pain kicked in with his rapid movement. Kara quickly went to go and help Oliver.

"Oliver, you shouldn't move like that. You're still hurt." Kara said, she was concerned for Oliver. He looked at her and gave her the best smile he could muster through his gruntled look.

"I appreciate the concern, Kara. But I need to speak to William right now." Oliver said. Kara who still show signs of worry, nodded to show she understood and slowly retracted from him, letting him go.

* * *

Oliver began to walk over to William's room. He had closed the door behind, so Oliver slid the door open and let himself in. The lights were off and the room was dark. He saw William sitting on the bedside facing away from Oliver.

"Hey… buddy." Oliver started, he was testing the room to see if William was willing to talk. William didn't give him a response but Oliver was keen on talking to him so he moved in closer and continued to talk. "Look, I'm sorry about that back there. I didn't mean for it to go like this." He got close to William but still no response. "Hey, can you say something… please?" Oliver stood there and waited for any instance of a reaction from William. Finally, William turned his head to look at Oliver.

"What do you want me to say, Dad? You lied to me..." William said bluntly. He was right, Although John did take over for a bit, Oliver eventually returned to being the Green Arrow and broke the promise he made.

"I… I did. I'm really sorry about that, William. It's just... things are really complicated and I had to step in." Oliver said. He saw William put his head down. He saw the disappointed look on his son's face. Oliver was really conflicted about his emotions. On one hand, he is doing something in which he believed in. However, on the other hand, he had made a promise and couldn't upkeep his side. He knew that contemplating on it would result in nothing and so he decided the best thing to do was to make amends. "I know I messed up and I'm truly sorry, William. If there's anything I can do, please tell me."

"Just… just leave me alone, Dad…" William said softly. He had turned away from Oliver.

"Come on, I-" Oliver said, but William quickly interject.

"Please," William said, his voice was more stern. Oliver didn't have anything else to add. William was still processing what he saw. He decided to respect William's wish and left him alone.

* * *

He walked back out of the bedroom and closed the door behind him. He returned to the living room and noticed there was something different. There was one less person in the room. Kara was the only one left and she was sat on the couch. She got up as Oliver entered the room.

"Where's Thea?" Oliver asked. He panned his eyes around the room.

"Oh… uh, she had to go. She received a call, something about helping Quentin." Kara responded.

"Oh, alright." Oliver acknowledged. He had begun to walk towards the couch to sit back down. Kara stepped aside and gave him space. He let out a gruntled moan as he sat back down. He looked back up to see Kara staring at him with expecting eyes. He figured she was curious to know what happened.

"Uhh… how'd it go?" Kara asked. She had gauged Oliver's face and it suggested that it perhaps didn't go so well. Oliver looked at her, her face was full of concern.

"Ehh… not so good, Kara," Oliver said. He tried to sound not unhappy but Kara received it anyway. She sat down beside him. Oliver turned to face Kara who had just gotten closer to him.

"Do… Do you wanna talk about it?" Kara asked. She didn't want to pry, but she couldn't help the feeling that Oliver was sad.

"I… I don't think I'm in the mood for that," Oliver said, putting his head down. His voice had gotten softer and the sorrow was seeping through. Kara couldn't believe the situation Oliver was in. He was both in a very unfortunate state in his physical and emotional state. She looked at him and saw the sadness on his face. She couldn't bear the thought of him pondering in that state and so she decided to do something about it.

"You know… it's kind of embarrassing to say this myself. But… back in National City, things like heroes and even vigilantes are in some ways a sign of hope to many people." Kara said, she had turned to face forward and Oliver had turned to look at Kara as she spoke. "A lot of people depend on us. It only makes sense. Being regarded in that light is always nice, but maintaining that role for so long can be quite challenging." Oliver saw the expression on Kara's face, she was talking eloquently. He could feel that the sentiment was coming from deep within her heart. "I learned, that a good way for me to cope with it, was to practice smiling." She turned her head back to look at Oliver and gave him a sincere smile. She could see his face get a bit lit up from her smile but it wasn't enough.

"I think I understand what you're getting at, Kara. You're right… but I… I don't think that's going to help me." Oliver said. He had appreciated Kara's words and how she was trying to cheer him up. However, it seemed that it wasn't over yet.

"Yeah alright. Now show me your best one!" Kara said, her voice shifted to a lighter tone and came off quite assertive. It made Oliver inclined to follow her, however, he was confused as to what she was suggesting.

"What? Best what?" Oliver replied with a confused look.

"You know what I mean!" Kara said, her phrasing of words left Oliver to wonder what she meant. She had just mentioned that smiling was something that helped her out. He looked at Kara who was smiling at him with expectant eyes. He still felt that he still wasn't in the mood but the look she was giving him made him feel that he didn't want to disappoint her. He let out a light-hearted sigh and begun to do what she had asked. Slowly the facial muscles on his face began to move and Oliver pulled the biggest smile he could muster. It was an unnatural sight and although he could not see his own face, Oliver could tell that his expression was definitely off-putting. He held the smile for only a moment before he broke down into laughter. Kara who was watching him had also begun to laugh as well.

"That felt so strange…!" Oliver said in the midst of his laughter. Kara nodded in agreement whilst also still laughing. They continued on for a bit, their heads buried near each other until they settled down. Kara raised her head first.

"But it helped didn't it?" Kara started up, she saw Oliver lift his head up to listen. " You see now right? It's not the smile that does it, but the little moments that those smiles create. They are what keep me going." Oliver had recognised finally what Kara had meant. He had learned a new way in which a smile could help a person. He looked at Kara, the person sitting across him. She was always being optimistic and hopeful. But her words, that she had found it quite difficult living up to that role indicated to Oliver that perhaps there was more to Kara than he knew. Despite whatever she had gone through she was still helping people, even him, right now. He looked downwards and this time drew a more natural smile on his face. He didn't have much time to bask at the moment before Kara grabbed him by the arm. He looked back up at her sudden movement.

"Alright, to the next step! Here come with me!" Kara said, she got up from the couch and pulled Oliver up with her. He was confused at what she had in mind but decided to comply. She began to walk and pulled Oliver so that he could follow her. They reached the balcony door and she opened it so they were standing on the balcony facing the city. They came to a stop and Kara let go of his hand. Oliver looked around, puzzled at why she had brought them out there. He turned to look at Kara who was still smiling.

"Um… what are we doing out here, Kara?" Oliver asked inquisitively. He had no idea what correlation the balcony had to this next step Kara had in mind.

"Well, if you don't want to talk about how you feel. Then…" Kara had begun to explain but she trickled off, she looked at Oliver to lure him in. He raised his eyebrow to suggest he was still confused. "... I want you to scream!"

"What?... I'm sorry, did you say scream?" Oliver asked with confusion. He was not sure what Kara was implying.

"Yep!" Kara replied, her smile was beginning to come off as cheeky.

"I-I'm not sure where you're going with this… I'm not that much of a screamer, Kara." Oliver said, he was attempting to dismiss this next step.

"Well sometimes, there are things that can't be said. And in those moments I've learnt, that the best way to express those emotions, is to simply let them out." Kara explained.

"Uhh yeah...sure but… I'm not sure me screaming here would be beneficial right now." Oliver said, he had gone to be a little nervous.

"Oh? Is Oliver Queen afraid of some citizens hearing him scream?" Kara taunted playfully. She saw the bottom of his right eye twitch, which probably meant that got him. "Just trust me, Oliver. No one is going to know it's you. They probably wouldn't even care."

Oliver looked at her. He saw that she wasn't going to give up. He realised whatever he would say, she would rebuttal with another way to persuade him further. Oliver decided to trust Kara's suggestion and walked up to the rail, placing both his hands on it. He turned his head to look at Kara for a brief moment before returning to face the city. He closed his eyes, readying himself for what he was about to do. After he braced himself, he began to inhale, taking in a deep breath and then exhaled it. He suddenly felt a rush, flowing through his body. As his body was preparing to let out a scream, he could feel all the emotions he felt a few minutes began to bundle up and swell within him. And without any warning, Oliver let out the biggest scream he had done in a long while. He could feel everything he had pent up inside being released through his voice as it echoed across the city. He eventually came to a stop and began panting, trying to catch his breath for how long he had continuously screamed. He turned to look at Kara who had been taken aback when she realised Oliver had actually did what she told him to do. She gave him a little nod and Oliver took it as a sign that he was doing good. Oliver began to reflect on himself and he noticed that he felt a bit relieved. It was almost having weight being lifted from his chest. He suddenly had another thought pop into mind and suddenly began letting out another scream. When he stopped that scream, he began to scream again, getting caught in the moment and thrill he was having. Kara hadn't expected Oliver to do this and began to get uncomfortable, however, Oliver had noticed her reaction and kept on screaming.

"Uh… Oliver I-I think you can stop now..." Kara said quietly to Oliver, suggesting that perhaps he had screamed for longer than he should have. But she noticed a glimpse of a smile on Oliver's face and she realised that Oliver was playing her. She bit her lip when she understood what he was trying to do and decided not to back down. She also walked up to rails and placed her hands on the rails as well. She waited for the interval when Oliver would stop to take a breath and began to ready herself. Oliver turned to see her by his side. He saw her open up her mouth as he was about to and stopped. She noticed in time as well and stopped too. They looked each other in the eyes and knew what the other was planning to do. Oliver turned his head down and smiled before returning it to face the city. Then, in unison, Oliver and Kara began to scream together. They went at it for several attempts, ringing their voices throughout the city like a couple of crazy people letting loose. They finally came to stop when they heard a voice ordering them to stop. Oliver and Kara began to cover their mouths and burst into laughter at what they had just been doing.

"Oh-Oh-Oh my god! I can't believe we actually did that!" Kara said as she was laughing. She was struggling to get the words out from how much she was laughing.

"It was your idea!" Oliver said, he was also still laughing with her.

"I know!" Kara exclaimed, the two kept going on until finally, they settled down. They stood there facing towards the night-lit city. It was the first time she had really taken the night view of Star City and it was beautiful. Oliver turned to look at Kara who was taking in the sights, her face full of awe and excitement.

"Hey… Thank you, for that. It really helped." Oliver said quietly, he noticed Kara slightly turning her head to him.

"No problem. It's better when things are like this." Kara said. Oliver gave a soft chuckle in response to suggest he agreed.

"Hehe, people say I'm stubborn. Wait until they meet you." Oliver said.

"I'd rather call it persistence! Hehe, once I'm going, I don't stop!" Kara responded back playfully. She noticed a small smile from Oliver and it made her feel good that she had helped him, "I know, it's hard. And you don't have to tell me anything, if you don't want to. But you can't stop me from trying to cheer you up. It's who I am." When she finished saying that, she saw Oliver look up and stare at her. Their eyes met and they looked at each other. Oliver was taken aback by Kara's words. She was truly someone that he thought he couldn't ever imagine meeting. Someone who was always willing to help people and inspire them. Being around her, made everything seem possible. Oliver turned back to face the city and Kara followed suit as well. He looked up to the starry sky and began to ponder numerous thoughts in his mind.

"What… what was it like, on Krypton?" Oliver asked out of the blue. Kara hadn't expected Oliver to ask her that. She smiled at the thought that he had taken an interest of something to her. She began to look up at the sky as well.

"It was my home. My family and friends, everything that I knew for about a decade was there. It wasn't that much different than here, people were living their lives and doing ordinary things. But it was still my home." Kara had explained, her voice was mournful and melancholy. Oliver didn't say anything but continued to listen to Kara. "But, due to certain events, my planet was on the verge of exploding. My cousin had been sent earlier and there was only one pod left. My mother put me inside it and with that, I was forced to leave everything behind. It took a while, but I eventually reached Earth and what I was sent to do, I was no longer needed. It was hard for me to accept, but I eventually did make peace that Earth was going to be my new home." Kara finished. She had gone further than Oliver had asked but she felt that it was right to tell him. Oliver had finally heard what happened on Krypton, of how Kara came to Earth. She poured her heart out telling a story that was very close to her. He suddenly felt a bit guilty, holding back on what happened to him, but she didn't even hesitate and told him everything. He thought maybe, if there was anyone he would want to tell, perhaps Kara would be the one.

"I understand what that's like. My parents gave up their lives so that I could live." Oliver started, Kara turned her head quickly to look at Oliver. She was surprised that Oliver had decided to open up. Maybe she got through to him but she could tell, he was feeling more comfortable now. She continued listening to him. " You remember those stories Thea told you about who I was before? I was that guy, just some playboy billionaire with no goal in sight. That was over 10 years ago. Everything changed when I boarded the gambit and got stranded on the island. It was shocking having such an adjustment to my life. My father told me the truth about himself and his last wish for me to right his wrongs. For the early part that I was there, I was scared. I had to learn to survive. And over the course of five years, I met people, lost people, and endured things that many people have never thought possible. It changed me and made me into the person I am today." Kara stared at Oliver, she could finally put the image together of how he transformed. It finally made more sense to Kara and she appreciated the fact that he was willing to tell her that story.

"Wow. That's… If I had just met you, I wouldn't believe you. But you, Oliver… I'm glad you turned out okay." Kara said. Oliver smiled at her words.

"I could say the same for you too, Kara," Oliver said to her back. They smiled at each other's words and took great joy from the fact that they had just revealed a huge part of their lives to one another. In some ways, they shared a similar a story and they found a common ground in each other through that. Oliver suddenly had a random thought pop into head and began to look up at the sky. "Hey, I just thought about this, but… I remembered you're not from this Earth. But another one."

"Oh yeah, that's right. Sometimes with all this hero stuff, you tend to forget there are multiple Earths." Kara said laughingly.

"Well yeah, but… I mean if you're from another Earth… shouldn't there be a you here on this one?" Oliver asked, it was a valid question Kara thought. She hadn't really thought about, she didn't really know the extent of these things but when she thought about it, it now occurred to her where her doppelganger was on this Earth.

"Hmm… never really thought about it. I guess that is a good question. There should be, right? You've never heard of me before meeting me?" Kara asked. Oliver shook his head. "Hmm… then maybe Krypton never exploded then? I think that would explain it."

"Ah. That is one possibility. That's probably the case." Oliver said. He noticed Kara looking up to sky, he thought perhaps that idea might be pondering in her head now. "What do you think she's doing there?"

"I don't know… but I think she's probably living the life I would have. It's amazing really… the fact that these kinds of things exist. Before meeting Barry, I only assumed there was only one." Kara said.

"Heh, yeah Barry. That guy definitely changed a lot of our lives…" Oliver said wistfully.

"I guess it's nice, y'know… knowing that my parents are still alive out there and that an existence of that time is still living on in other worlds. It's kind of a nice closure." Kara said, her voice getting soft.

"Yeah, coming to learn of this was definitely a shock for me as well. It's been a crazy ride this multiverse thing…" Oliver said, he noticed Kara letting out a soft chuckle. "Heck even our Earth-X selves, they were married even… it's crazy right?" Oliver said, he turned to look at Kara who had just looked at him with open eyes. She saw him meet hers and turned her head down. He realised he had said something pretty bizarre that they really hadn't acknowledged. But he noticed a slight blush on Kara's cheek when he mentioned their doppelgangers. He smiled at the thought that her reaction was quite positive.

"Yeah… crazy…" Kara uttered softly, hearing Oliver mentioned that had made Kara really flustered. She looked up to see Oliver smiling at her. She felt glad that Oliver hadn't felt negative about the thought of their doppelgangers. They smiled at each other longingly for a while, reveling at the moment. However, Oliver's bruise started to act up and the pain that been drowned out surfaced again. He put his hand back on the bruised area to ease the pain. Kara had noticed his reaction and had shifted her expression to one full of worry. She rushed to Oliver side.

"Hehe... it's alright, Kara. But I think it's time for me to get some rest." Oliver said. He noticed Kara looking at him and ascertained that he was right. "It was fun, with you tonight."

"Yeah, it was fun for me too," Kara said, giving him a smile. With that, they headed back inside to end the night in which a lot had happened.


	7. You And I

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Oliver and Kara learn more of what happened last night and are one more step closer to finding out what Cayden and his allies are up to.

The following day came around and Oliver woke up in his bed, his eyelids blinking intensely in a reaction towards the light. He moved his right arm towards his abdomen and felt around the area. His body twitched as soon as it touched but the pain was not as awful as it was last night. He began to gather his body up to get out of bed whilst grunting in the process, when he suddenly caught a scent coming from outside his bedroom. It was a mixture of an aromatic and pungent smell. He had decided it was no use in wondering what it was, so he decided to get up and take a shower. Once he had finished, he put on his normal attire and headed outside.

He entered the dining area and was welcomed by the sight of Kara, who had apparently been cooking some breakfast. She was holding a plate of waffles when she saw Oliver walk in.

"Uh… Kara? W-What's all this?" Oliver asked, he was overwhelmed by the amount of food that was in the room. He looked at Kara as she was pacing around the kitchen. She was dressed in her usual attire, a white-buttoned shirt with her business skirt. Her hair put together in the standard ponytail she usually put it in. After putting down the plates, she finally spoke up.

"Oh, hey! Good morning! I wanted to make you something for breakfast but you didn't have much in the fridge… so I had to go out and buy some ingredients, bring them back and... Here we are!" Kara said, her voice was chirpy and hasty.

"You went out?... Does Earth-38 money work here?... Anyway, this…" Oliver said, he was trying to process the ton of information Kara had just thrown at him. "This is a lot of food… "

"Umm.. yeah! Surprisingly our currency isn't that much different, our Earth's share a lot of similarities, so that was handy, hehe!" Kara said, she gave him a big grin. She turned to look at the plates of food that were on the table. "As for this… I made some for us but y'know… I have to eat…".

"Oh… right!" Oliver exclaimed, he understood what Kara had implied as her voice had gotten shy and she had slowly buried her head. He had glossed over the fact that Kara had to keep up a more demanding food intake than he did. He pulled his left arm to look at his wrist watch. It said it was 9:00, which meant that William had already gone off to school. Things were still in the air between him and William, but what happened last night with Kara had made Oliver unwind and more content to resolve things. He looked back up towards Kara who had gave him expecting eyes, it appears she was waiting for him. He felt guilty for making her wait."Well! You've gone through the trouble, shall we?" Kara nodded back with a smile.

Oliver sat down with Kara at the table and proceeded to eat the food Kara had cooked for them. As they were putting food in their mouths, they shared more stories from what they told each other last night. Oliver told her more of what happened on the island, how he met Slade, Shado and countless others, and how they helped shaped him as a person. Kara had gone on to talk about when she was younger and her time in Midvale. As each of them opened up, they started to slowly understand much better and they felt the gap between had gotten smaller. The two eventually finished the food with Kara contributing 80%. They sat there, looking down on the empty plates in front of them. Kara had forgotten that there would be a lot of empty dishes after all that food which would indicate a lot more dishes to clean. She looked towards Oliver who was looking back and he was just as surprised as she was. If they were going to clean it normally, it would take forever. She let out a sigh and then without warning, began to superspeed herself with all the dishes towards the sink and began to clean them. It was much faster in Oliver's perspective and she felt envy that he didn't have to wait so long as she did.

"Oh, thank you, Kara. You didn't have to though…" Oliver said, he was put in a tight situation. He did not mind having to clean them as well.

"It's fine. Would have taken far too long if we did it normally." Kara said. She washed off her hands and had begun to walk back to the table where Oliver was. "Besides we save some time, we should go be going to City Hall now, right?"

"We? You planning on coming with me?" Oliver asked, he raised his eyebrow in confusion.

"Well, yeah. I said I was here to get to know you better. Besides, haven't seen much of Mayor Queen as I have the Green Arrow." Kara said, she saw Oliver let out a chuckle and smiled in response to it. She turned around and headed towards the door. " All right, let's go!". She had reached the door when Oliver called her back. She turned around to face him. He was holding something in his hand.

"Uh, Kara? Aren't you forgetting these?" Oliver asked, he was holding her glasses. Kara's eyes widen as she realised that she had forgotten to wear them. She skidded over and took the glasses from Oliver and placed them back on herself.

"Whoops! How could I forgot them…?" Kara said laughingly, she adjusted them before looking back at Oliver. "Well… how do I look?" Oliver had glanced her up and down before responding.

"You look great. It certainly completes your Kara Danvers look. Really adds the finishing touch." Oliver said, he noticed she got happy with his compliment.

"I guess the same could be said about you and your suits, Oliver. Though I haven't really seen you in them much, it just feels right when you're in them." Kara said.

"Thanks?" Oliver said. Oliver gave her an off-putting look.

"Hey! I was trying to be nice." Kara said, she sounded a bit sad. Her cheeks puffed out.

"I know. It's just adorable when you get like that." Oliver said, he suddenly grew a grin on his face. He noticed a slight blush on Kara before a look of irritation came on her face.

"Okay,  _Ollie,_ " Kara said, her voice was a bit irritated but also sweet at the same time in an attempt to mock him. Oliver looked up with a surprised look. It was the first time he had heard her use that name. "I've heard Thea call you that, and I think that's quite adorable." Oliver didn't know what to say to that rebuttal, not that he was trying to fight. Hearing her call him by that name gave Oliver a feeling of joy inside. Oliver let out a sigh.

"Okay, you win." Oliver said, he sounded defeated. He saw Kara light up when she learned of her victory. He got up from his chair. "Anyways, we should be going."

"You don't mind me calling you, Ollie?" Kara asked, she had joked about it but Oliver didn't seem as resistant to it than she thought. She had thought he would have snapped at her or something of the sort.

"You can do whatever you want, Kara. Besides, it's not that bad of a name, wasn't that what you said?" Oliver asked.

"Yeah… right." Kara said in a whisper with a smile, it wasn't her intention but now that she was calling him by his nickname, she felt closer to Oliver now. "Well, let's go then... Ollie." Oliver nodded back at her with a smile, leaving the apartment and heading towards City Hall.

* * *

After some time, Oliver and Kara had arrived at Star City Hall. Kara had a better look at it this time around, it was a tall structure that reminded her of the D.E.O. When she entered the building with Oliver, she saw multiple governments workers moving about tending to their business. Oliver started to speak as they were walking through the area.

"Come to think of it, aren't you a reporter, Kara?" Oliver asked. Kara turned her head slightly in response to Oliver's sudden question.

"Yeah, that's right. At Cat Co. " Kara replied. "Why do you ask?"

"Just curious. I've known a few reporters in my life, all of them have been very different people. Safe to say, that you are one of the good ones." Oliver said, he turned his head to look at Kara when he said that. Kara turned her head forward.

"Aw, thanks," Kara said.

"Who knows, maybe you could do a story out here one day?" Oliver said.

"I… don't think that would go well. No offense Ollie, but why would Cat Co. publish something from another Earth?" Kara said.

"Yeah, I know. But, it'd be nice if I had more people like you reporting the news." Oliver said, he came to a stop and looked at her with a smile. Kara stopped as well to look at him. It seemed like Oliver was trying to say something to her. Perhaps he had liked her recent company, or maybe it was just that he wanted someone he could trust in the media. Kara didn't take it too much into thought when the two were interrupted by a woman's voice. The two of them turned around to face an older looking woman, probably in her 50s. She was dressed like most people in the building, wearing a business attire and skirt.

"Ah, Oliver, good morning. It seems you came in today, with a friend as well I see. I hope you're ready for the meeting, later on, I presume?" the lady asked. Oliver had recognised her, it was one of his associates that he spoke to as Mayor.

"Good Morning to you too, Cathy," Oliver replied. He turned to look at Kara and then back at Cathy. "Uh Cathy, this is Kara Danvers, she's a… friend of mine. Kara, this is Catherine Wright or Cathy as she's like to be called." The two ladies exchanged greetings and nodded to one another. "And as for the meeting, I'll be there when it starts."

"Ah, that's good to hear, Oliver," Cathy said, she was looking at the two of them. Kara had noticed she was shifting between the two of them. "I must say, you two are quite the dashing pair." The comment from Cathy had sparked a reaction from Oliver and Kara who had looked at one another.

"Oh! W-W-We're not dating, Cathy." Oliver said quickly, his voice was a bit higher from his reaction. Kara had started to get flustered herself as well. They started to nervously laugh in an attempt to drown out the mood. Cathy on the other hand had started to giggle.

"Oh my! I must apologize, I didn't mean to assume," Cathy said, her hands covering her giggles. "Well, I must be on my way. See you later, Oliver and you as well, Kara." Cathy said as she started to walk off. The two nodded to acknowledge her goodbye as she walked by. Oliver and Kara just stood for a moment after Cathy had left. Neither of them knew how to recover from that nor did they know how to process it. At this point, Oliver and Kara had acknowledged what they had felt about the other, but neither of them knew that the other had reciprocated the feeling. Oliver decided to act. He turned around and remembered they had reached his office and had gone to open the door.

"I'm sorry… Kara, but the meeting is in a few minutes. I know we just got here, but I have to tend to this." Oliver started up, as he walked inside. Kara had followed him in.

"Yeah… it's okay. How long will you be gone?" Kara asked, her voice was low and raspy as she was trying to compose herself.

"Maybe an hour or so. You can feel free to walk around or do something else in the meantime. If you want, I'll come back here at around midday." Oliver said. Kara gave him a nod to signal she acknowledged what he said. He saw that was a she was a bit quieter after what Cathy had said. Oliver didn't have much time to think before he quickly made his way out of the office and proceeded to the meeting.

* * *

It was noon and Oliver had finally finished his meeting with the council. He checked his wristwatch to confirm the time and it was indeed noon. He arrived at his office and opened the door. As he entered he saw Kara asleep on one of his guest chairs. Her head was slightly tilted and she was completely unaware that Oliver had walked in. He walked up to her and look down at her face. She had the most innocent and cute look on her face, like the one you would see on a child's. Staring at it made Oliver felt as if they was suddenly nothing in the world but the two of them. He couldn't help but ponder the thought that perhaps that was something he wouldn't mind seeing more often. He finally pulled back and realised to more extent that Kara had chosen to wait here for him. Perhaps she had gotten bored, but she remained and was waiting for him to return. He drew a smile on his face at the thought of that, then proceeded to wake her up.

"Kara… Kara...wake up." Oliver said in a low whisper, trying to get his voice through to her but not loud enough to spook her. He began to slightly nudge her as well and after a while, she finally started to wake up. She started to moan a little as her voice was regaining itself and her eyes started to slowly open.

"O-Oliver?..." Kara said in a whisper and she sounded unclear. Her eyelids blinked a few times before she finally gained her surroundings, her eyes shot up and she got up quickly from the chair. "Oh my god, I'm sorry, did I fall asleep? How long was I out? How long were you there? Ah…." Kara's voice had started to speed up and she was scrambling things in her mind and was saying them aloud.

"Kara, it's okay… I just got here. You were asleep and I woke you up, that was all." Oliver said, his voice sounded reassuring. After hearing Oliver, Kara started to slowly calm down.

"Um… how was the meeting?" Kara asked, she was using her hands to pat down and straighten her clothes.

"Oh, you know, just normal work things. What needs to be looked at, where money is being used for and so on." Oliver said.

"Ah, I see. So nothing about any supervillains that we got to look out or anything like that?" Kara said jokingly.

"No, unfortunately. It's hardly ever that interesting, unless the so called supervillain is right here." Oliver said, his tone had gone on to match Kara's. They shared a little a laughter at the stupid topic. "Anyways… I have no further business here. I think we ought to move on to the foundry and tell everyone what happened last night."

"Oh, that's right. But what's there to tell? We only know who was there, but not what they stole." Kara asked.

"That is true. But I am sure that Felicity would have monitored the news and will inform us what the police has reported from the crime scene." Oliver said.

"Alright. Should we go?" Kara asked. Oliver responded with a nod and they had proceeded to exit the office when they were stopped by a man dressed in a delivery outfit. Alongside was a crate, it was about half the size of an average human. Oliver looked at the crate and noticed that there was a logo on the bottom. It appeared to be some sort of claw with red markings. He looked back up at the man who had begun to spoke.

"Hello, Mr. Queen. It's actually nice that I was able to run into you, sir." the man said.

"It's okay. What is this?" Oliver asked.

"Ah, this is a delivery for Mr. Lance, sir. It appears he hasn't come in today, so I didn't know who to go to for this. But now that you're here, perhaps you could sign it, on his behalf?" the man said.

"For Quentin? I see… okay, give me a pen." Oliver said. The man handed him a pen and the delivery sign sheet. Oliver signed his name to acknowledge the delivery. He returned the pen and paper back to the man.

"Thank you, Mr. Queen. I'll take this to his office then. You have a good day, sir." the man said before making his leave.

"What'd you think that was, Oliver?" Kara asked.

"I don't know. But it's Quentin. It's probably something work related." Oliver said.

"Oh alright. Do you… want to leave?" Kara asked. Oliver turned his head to look at Kara.

"Yeah, but… I want to go somewhere first, before that." Oliver said, his tone sounded quite ambitious. Kara raised an eyebrow in confusion, but she complied and the two of them headed out of City Hall. They walked together on the street and continued on the path towards the hideout until Oliver made a detour and headed towards another location. They came to stop, outside a little store, there was a banner on the top that read "Star City Cones". Kara turned to look at Oliver who was looking at her.

"Uh… what are we doing here, Oliver?" Kara asked, she was slightly confused but kind of understood the notion.

"What do you think? I heard you like ice-cream." Oliver said with a smile. With that, Kara confirmed what she thought and realised Oliver had brought them here to buy ice-cream. He walked inside and purchased two ice-cream cones for the two of them and gave one to Kara. They began to walk back and resume their journey back to the foundry. Licking their ice-cream as they walked along and Kara had gone off about her obsession with sweets. They finally reached the hideout and had begun to ride down in the elevator.

"Hey… why'd you do this?" Kara asked, she was curious to know why he suddenly did what he did. He looked down for a moment before he raised his read and answered.

"Nothing really, just wanted to say thanks for what you did last night and for the food this morning." Oliver said, his voice reflected his appreciation. "I know it's nothing in comparison, but…-".

"No! It's fine! This… this is… nice, thanks Ollie." Kara said, her voice was shy and gentle. Oliver still hadn't gotten used to her calling him Ollie. It was still strange, but yet also still nice to hear. Oliver gave her a nod. They had reached the bottom and walked out of the elevator. To their surprise, it seemed that Felicity and John hadn't arrived at the foundry yet. Oliver took out his phone and began to message them. Kara had walked off and began to throw the tissues that came with the cones into a bin. She turned around and Oliver informed her that they would arrive in about an hour or so.

"Oh, they won't be here for a while?" Kara asked. She asked again just to confirm.

"Yeah, John's currently at A.R.G.U.S with his family and Felicity's working on her startup," Oliver explained further. Kara gave a nod to acknowledge the information. Kara begins to walk around, looking at the numerous things to pass her time. She saw Oliver approach her and turned to meet him. "Hey… since we have some time. You want to do a little sparring?" he asked. It was a sudden question and Kara was not ready for it.

"Oh, well, I- I don't know if we can, I mean… I have my powers." Kara said.

"Yeah, I know. Is there any way for you to… uh, not use them?" Oliver asked. Kara stood there for a while, wondering to herself if there was a way. She then finally remembered something and spoke up.

"Actually, there might be… just wait here." Kara said. She dug into her pockets and fingered around to find something.

"W-What are you doing?" Oliver asked, he was unsure of what Kara had intended. She finally brought out an item from her pocket and it was the extrapolator.

"I'm gonna head back to my Earth for just a bit, I think Winn made me something." Kara said. She opened a breach and walked right through it. Oliver stood there by his lonesome for a several moments before another breach opened and Kara stepped back through. He noticed there was something different about her and it was the red-coloured bracelet she was wearing.

"What'd you get?" Oliver asked, he was curious to know what Kara had gone off to do.

"Well, before, I tried to train with my sister Alex a few times. We tried using a Kryptonite room to depower me but, it's not so… well, versatile I guess you could say." Kara said. She brought up her and hands and waved them to show off the bracelet. "These are red-sun bracelets, that the D.E.O have accumulated and have produced. They do the same effect, but also y'know, portable." Kara said with a laugh.

"I-I see…" Oliver said, he was being told a lot of information he didn't understand but had grasped the idea of it. "So in a sense, you don't have any powers, right now?" he asked. Kara nodded to answer his question. "So… how are your friends doing?".

"Oh, they're doing fine actually. J'onn has actually been posing as Supergirl, so he's been able to go out into the field recently. Alex on the other hand, she's been taking charge more around the D.E.O now that J'onn is out there. I mean if there was an actual threat, I would go back in a heartbeat. But… it's just been normal so far, so it's all good." Kara said.

"Ah, that's good to hear. I actually kind of went through a similar thing this year. John was the Green Arrow for a while, did you know that?" Oliver said.

"John Diggle? Wow, that's… kind of cool. But did he know how to use a bow?" Kara asked, she was perplexed at the idea. Oliver let out a light-hearted scoff.

"No, he had to use a crossbow. But… he managed to get the job done." Oliver said.

"I'm assuming… it didn't last long, since you're back as the Green Arrow." Kara said.

"Yeah… he had an injury and was concealing it from me. When I found out, I had to take the back the role as I couldn't let John be out there anymore." Oliver said. Kara lowered her head and began to reflect on Oliver's words. She imagined if she had been in a similar situation as Oliver and wondered what she would do. If J'onn was injured right now, Kara knew immediately she couldn't let him continue doing so. Oliver cleared his throat to change the topic. "Anyways, I'm going to go get ready." He walked off to change his gear. He returned changed into shorts and his upper torso shirtless. Kara was off-put by Oliver's sudden change of appearance.

"Um… y-you don't have a shirt on…" Kara said, her voice was a bit shaky.

"Ah, well, this is what I'm most comfortable in when I'm training. What about you? Don't you want to change into something more comfortable?" Oliver asked. Kara looked down at her attire. It wasn't the most appropriate thing to wear, especially if she was going to be sparring. "There should be something that you can wear over there." Oliver pointed towards the section where a lot of uniforms were stored. Kara had walked over and looked around for something to wear. She came back in a singlet and some tight shorts. Oliver was surprised to see in her that outfit. He had never seen her in anything besides her Supergirl and normal attire, it was kind of unsettling but also she looked pretty good in it as well. Kara came into the middle of the room where Oliver was standing and waiting for her. She came to a stop on the opposite of and was facing towards him. They stood for a moment, looking at each other, basking in the silence that was around them.

"Alright, you ready, Kara?" Oliver asked.

"Yeah," Kara replied. She was a bit nervous, she knew of Oliver's background and how competent he was in fighting. Even as they were looking at each other, Oliver stood there and his aura was radiating confidence.

"Then, let's do this. Come!" Oliver shouted, his voice signaling the start of the spar. No one moved, they continued to eye each other, seeing who would make the first move. Then the silence was broken and Kara initiated the fight. She began to run towards Oliver and raised her right arm in preparation to strike him. She saw Oliver's eyes lower and it seemed he had begun to focus. She threw her right fist towards Oliver's face but he dodged it by ducking his head. Kara followed up her attack and used her left leg to aim at his abdomen but Oliver caught her leg and pushed it back down, completely stopping Kara's pace. He then came in fast, as soon as her leg had touched the ground and used his palm to push her back. She stumbled a few steps back. She reached for her stomach, as Oliver had used a bit of force to push her back.

"I can see that you have some knowledge of fighting, Kara. No doubt because of your training with the D.E.O." Oliver said. "But your movements are too textbook, and because of that, I can read your moves." Kara was panting but also listening to what Oliver was saying. She never had to really depend on her technique when it came to fighting as she relied on her strength more. So even though she had training, she was merely doing the same things she had learned. "Remember this, Kara. Variable acceleration. You always want to be the one in control of the fight and not simply just fighting. When you keep a certain pace then suddenly change it up, it will throw your opponent off." Kara continued to pant off a few last breaths and took a deep one in. She kept what Oliver had just said in the back of her mind and charged at Oliver again. This time around she opted not to go in with something big and began to throw some quick punches. Oliver was in his stance and had begun to raise his arms and block Kara's assault. Kara suddenly dropped her speed and changed to throwing a harder punch but Oliver caught it in his hand. Kara got unsettled by Oliver catching her punch and Oliver used her surprise to his advantage. He used his strength to swing her arm away and then proceed to hit her thigh. She reacted to move her arms to block that area but it was what Oliver wanted and he grabbed her by her arms that had overextended. He turned half-side and used that momentum to throw her to the side landing on the floor.

"It's good you followed my advice, but I could see you got tired and you left yourself open a few times," Oliver said, he walked over to her and extended his hand. She let out a groan and grabbed his hand and got back on her feet.

"Ahh… it's so different to adjust from having powers to being normal." Kara said, as she was panting. "But... I can say that this was very... enlightening, but you could have gone a bit easier on me, Ollie." her voice sounded very teasing but also tired.

"Well, considered it tough love. Besides… I heard you heal fast." Oliver said, he tried to sound normal but Kara could tell he was enjoying this.

"Yeah, thanks," Kara said, giving him a light-hearted eye roll. Oliver let out a chuckle in response to her eye roll.

The doors to the elevator opened and two people came through them. It was John and Felicity. The two of them had a surprised look on their faces as they were walking into the foundry. Oliver and Kara turned to face them.

"Oh, I see you guys were sparring," John said, his expression changed to a smile when he connected the dots. Felicity's expression changed as well when she heard John explained the situation.

"Yeah, Oliver wanted to," Kara said, acknowledging John's statement.

"But… how? Don't you have superpowers, Kara?' Felicity asked.

"Oh! Yeah, but there are ways for me to be normal." Kara said, she lifted up her wrist to show her red-sun bracelet. Kara went on to explain what it was and how it worked. Felicity understood most of it whilst John still looked confused as ever. Felicity walked over to the computers and began to do her thing. The other three came together and stood behind Felicity.

"So… did you find out about what Cayden and his cohorts were doing at the Star City Bank, last night?" Oliver asked Felicity. Felicity was typing away and she began to talk whilst doing so.

"Yes, I think so. Earlier today I was tracking on the reports made by the SCPD. According to them, there was a substance or material, if you will, that was stored in one of the vaults. Luckily, there were no casualties, thanks to both you and Kara. Oh! Awesome job, with the hostages, by the way, Kara!" Felicity said. Kara gave a little nod and exerted a small a thank you. Felicity continued. "Now… we still haven't confirmed what it was they took, last night. But from the little descriptions I could piece together, it is most likely… a component for a bomb."

"A… bomb?" Kara asked, her voice was shaky.

"Then… it's most likely, Cayden is planning to use that bomb against Star City…" Oliver said. Felicity nodded to confirm Oliver's theory. "Do you have any leads?"

"Well… there is nothing else further from the Star City Bank incident. But… there was an attack last night at a warehouse near the docks. Right around the same time, you guys arrived at the Bank." Felicity said.

"So… they attacked two places at the same time. Using the bank as the bait since it was the larger one of the two." Oliver said.

"That's probably why we didn't see any officers last night. Even though the bank was a top priority, most of the force was probably called to the warehouse." Kara said.

"Then that begs the question. What made the warehouse a higher priority?" John asked. No one answered, as no one knew the answer. All of them pondered in their thoughts thinking of possibilities that could have existed. Oliver let out a sigh and it caught everyone's attention.

"Well, there's no use hanging around here waiting for more information. I think now we need to split up." Oliver said, the other three broke from their thoughts and were staring at him. "Kara and I will go and investigate the warehouse. We will find out what happened there. Felicity, I want you to work on that footage that claimed I killed Cayden's son." Kara turned to face Oliver with shock.

"Y-You what?" Kara asked.

"I didn't kill anyone, Kara. Cayden's under the impression I killed his son, but I know I didn't. But for some reason there is footage of me showcasing that I did. It has be to have been forged." Oliver said. It was the first time Kara had heard of this. But she could feel in the way Oliver was speaking that he was telling the truth.

"What about me, Oliver?" John asked. Oliver and Kara turned to face John who they had for a brief moment had forgotten about.

"I'm sorry, John, but I can't have you out there with me. Not while you still have that injury. Be here with Felicity, I'm sure she would appreciate your company." Oliver said. He felt bad for declining his friend to be on the field with him, but he couldn't put John in any more danger. John expressed reluctance but accepted Oliver's proposal. Oliver and Kara walked down the stairs and went to change out of the training gear. Kara proceeded to take off her bracelets. They both walked out, donned in tactical gear similar to what Kara had been wearing the previous night.

"You're not suiting up as the Green Arrow?" Kara asked, she was surprised to see Oliver, not in his suit.

"No. This is merely an investigation and considering the area is a crime scene, we shouldn't have to worry about any hostiles." Oliver explained. "Besides, I don't want to give the FBI any more leeway against me." They had begun to walk a few steps before Oliver had stopped her. He went to go fetch something and returned to Kara. He extended his arm and on his palm was a mask. Kara looked up at Oliver was a confused look. "Well, I know you were going under a different code name for a bit. Unfortunately, Cisco couldn't come with an entire suit for you. But…" Kara reached out and grabbed the mask. It was an eye mask like the one Oliver had under his hood. It was red and green themed. "... he did come up with this." Kara put on the mask, carefully placing it so she could see out of the two holes.

"Well… how do I look?" Kara asked, it was a strange feeling for Kara. She had never worn a mask before but putting it on gave Kara quite an excitement.

"Hmph… I have to say, it does look good on you." Oliver said, he noticed Kara light up from his compliment.

"Okay, but if I'm wearing this, you have to put yours on as well, Ollie," Kara said. She gave him an assertive look.

"What?" Oliver asked.

"You want me to be the only one wearing this, that's not fair," Kara said.

"But I-" Oliver said but he got trickled off by Kara's deep stare. He let out a sigh and walked over to retrieve his own eye mask. He put it on. "Happy?"

"Very!" Kara said with a big grin. Oliver shook his head with a smile and Kara turned around to walk towards the elevator when Oliver stopped her.

"Hey, Kara… over here." Oliver called out to her. She turned and followed him. She came to a stop and was welcomed by the sight of Oliver standing next to his motorbike. He threw a helmet to her and she caught it in her hands. She looked up, unsure of what was happening.

"Well, last night, we did things your way. But I thought, since there aren't any immediate concerns, we could travel differently." Oliver said.

"Oh okay…" Kara said, her voice got low.

"What's wrong, you've never ridden on a bike?" Oliver asked.

"Well, I've ridden a bicycle and other stuff… but…" Kara said, she wa mumbling softly. Oliver started to laugh and it made Kara go red. "Hey, it's not that funny!"

"I know, I'm sorry. But trust me, it's not that bad." Oliver said, his voice was calm and it was reassuring to Kara. She gave him a slight nod and began to walk up to the bike. Oliver had gotten on it already, his hands ready on the handle. Kara put on her helmet and proceeded to climb on the bike as well, behind Oliver. Oliver started up the bike and kicked off. The sudden acceleration jarred Kara up a bit and in a reaction, she put her arms around Oliver. She was surprised at what she was doing but Oliver didn't utter a reaction. She then became absorbed in the embrace and felt that it was better now that she was holding onto him. She began to rest the side of her face on his back as Oliver continued to ride through the city. Her hair flowing as the breeze of the city brisk through them as the bike was speeding throughout the night. Oliver had uttered a smile and with Kara holding onto him, he felt everything become enhanced. The usual feeling that he got from riding on his bike, the element of freedom as you take in everything around you. It was why Oliver took riding a bike over a car.

* * *

Oliver and Kara finally arrived at the docks. They had gotten off the bike and had parked it a distance from the warehouse. They neared the front entrance when they saw that there had been a few officers guarding the front. Oliver decided to go on a different route and they proceeded to head towards the back area. They were met with a fence and a padded locked door. They continued around the area until resorting to coming back to the back area. It was apparent that this was the only way in besides the front.

"Okay… so how do we do this?" Kara asked. She was staring at the padded lock. "You want me to bust it open for you?"

"What? No! We can't tamper with anything on the scene, Kara." Oliver said.

"Okay. Then how do you suggest we get over this?" Kara asked. She barely finished her question when Oliver started to move. He ran up towards the fence and put one foot on the fence. He gripped onto the top part then used his strength to vault himself over the fence. He landed on the other side and slowly got up, not turning his front to face Kara. "Cool." She uttered simply. She was taken aback, she was continued to be amazed at the things Oliver could do. Oliver turned around and saw Kara had levitated over.

"Cool. But not as stylish." Oliver said, he sounded part cocky. Kara shook her light-heartedly.

"Hey! If I didn't have any powers, you basically just left me back there." Kara exclaimed.

"But I believed you would be here," Oliver said. Kara had opened her mouth to say something but instead, let out a sigh.

"Okay… it was pretty awesome, what you did back there, I'll give you that." Kara said, her voice was low, with a slight reluctance. She caught a glimpse of a smile as Oliver turned and continued to walk ahead. "Hey! Get rid of that smile!" Oliver didn't turn around and continue to let out a chuckle.

The two proceeded further inside, making sure to interact with anything on site. They arrived at the central area of the warehouse and saw a sight they had partly expected. There was destruction everywhere, boxes had been crushed, various machinery had been broken. And a few torn pieces of clothing about. Oliver had wandered off, mumbling himself and taking in everything he saw. Kara decided to check the upper floor and she made her way up whilst Oliver remained on the ground. The top floor was no different from the bottom, similar damages had been dealt with the upper area as well. Broken windows and damaged furniture was all that Kara could see. After a few moments, Oliver called for Kara and she came back down. She approached Oliver who was still in his thoughts.

"Okay, from what I can surmise. There was a definitely a battle here last night. This warehouse was probably owned by Cayden or someone working for him. The SCPD was tipped and they arrived here. They engaged in open-fire with the criminals but the criminals made a getaway as indicated by those tire tracks. I believe there are no casualties with possible few having been injured on both sides. Whatever they were working on here, it appears the SCPD found out, but they also got away." Oliver said, he finished his overview of the situation.

"Hmm, I see. Well at least no one died, that's a relief." Kara said.

"Yeah, pretty lucky." Oliver said. Kara had been staring at Oliver when she saw something in the distance. She ran towards it and Oliver turned around to see what she was going towards. It was one of the boxes that had been broken. Kara had knelt down and noticed that there was a logo that had been oddly familiar. She looked at it for a while before she realised where she had seen it before.

"Oliver! This box here, look!" Kara called out. Oliver approached and knelt down besides her. It didn't take him long before he realised what Kara had implied. It was the same box that they had seen earlier today back at City Hall. The claw symbol with red markings, it was no doubt that this was an identical.

"There's no denying it, it's the same one," Oliver said.

"That means whatever was inside that crate, also came from here!" Kara said.

"Add to the fact, we learned that Cayden had been at the bank to retrieve something for a bomb..." Oliver said.

"Then, with everything we know so far, it's highly probable that-" Kara said.

"There's a bomb at City Hall!" Oliver and Kara exclaimed in unison. They both shot straight up. Oliver looked intently towards Kara. Kara didn't need for Oliver to say anything to know what he was going to say. She extended her hand out to him. He looked at it and grabbed onto it. With that, Kara flew out of the warehouse instantly with Oliver and headed as fast as she could for City Hall.

* * *

It didn't take long for Kara to arrive at City Hall, Oliver pointed out to her where Quentin's office and she busted through the window. The glass shattered and it fell to the ground and Kara landed on her feet as Oliver got off. It didn't take them long before they found the crate. They made their way towards it and stood there. Kara used her x-ray vision to look inside the crate and saw exactly what they had theorised, the bomb sitting inside the crate. Oliver patched his comms through to the team back at the foundry.

"Overwatch, we have a situation," Oliver reported. He continued to explain what had happened to the other team members. Kara had begun to open up the crate and leaving the bomb as it is in the same position. There was a timer on it and it indicated that it was going off in less than 10 minutes.

"Be Careful! Whatever you do, you don't want to move that bomb. It's been activated and it's armed to detonate if its removed from its current location." Felicity said. Oliver had activated his body cam so the others could see as well.

"Damn… so I just can't fly it up out of here?!" Kara exclaimed.

"No, that's out of the question. Damn that Cayden, how'd he get his hands on this!" Felicity said.

"Well, is there any way for us to disarm it, Overwatch?" Oliver asked. Felicity didn't reply immediately, they could hear her typing away to find a possible solution.

"The only way for you to disarm it is to do it manually. The interior of this bomb is very complex, but if you are able to cut one of the wires, you should be able to disarm it." Felicity explained.

"How far would the radius be?" Kara asked.

"It's hard to pinpoint, but most definitely, at least City Hall would be blown apart." Felicity said. The two gulped and looked at each other before letting out a sigh. Kara began to kneel down and opened up the compartment door which exposed the interior. But seeing inside they were greeted with numerous wires all over the place. Seeing such disorientation coupled with the fact that it was the canvas of their dilemma really added to the tension. Oliver knelt down beside her.

"Which one do we need to cut?" Oliver asked. Felicity stared into the interior and was using it to cross-reference with the information on her hands.

"It's… the red one, over there." Felicity said.

"The one all the way back there?!" Oliver asked. Kara turned and tried to meet where Oliver was looking at and noticed it. It was a little red wire, that was slightly visible in the far back of the interior. She had no idea how they were to going to cut the wire without going through the other ones. She turned to look at Oliver for an answer and he was just as worried as she was. He was pondering all the ideas he could muster but none of them seem to be applicable. Kara looked down, and wondered to herself. Was there any tool that she could use to cut something?

"What… about my heat vision?" Kara asked. Oliver turned his head to look at her. He took her heat vision into consideration.

"Can… you control it? The power and such?" Oliver asked. Kara had previous experience using it on a lower scale. But to use it so accurately and precisely? She had never ever attempted such a fete in her life. But there was no other choice.

"Yeah, I can do it." Kara said. "I don't know if I can… but I have to try." Oliver looked at her and saw the resolve on her face. "You have to go, Oliver. You can't be here."

"No, Kara," Oliver said. Kara turned her head to look at him. "You're going to need my help, and I… we're in this together…". Kara wanted to speak up and tell him to go away. But after hearing that she couldn't say no. She didn't have time to argue with him and she looked at the timer, it now said there were less than 3 minutes remaining. Oliver turned his head to look at Kara. "Do you trust me?" Oliver had asked her a serious question, she could see that he was willing to risk his life right now at this moment to help her. This feeling she felt, it was as if having him by her side gave her extra strength.

"Yes, I do," Kara said with all of her heart. Oliver nodded and she knew what had to be done. She closed her eyes and began to take a deep breath and then exhaled. She tried to steel herself up, but she couldn't fight off the pressure she was starting to feel. Her body began to shake but she powered through it and began to ready her heat vision. "Kara, the key is concentrate." Oliver decided to guide her and help her aim. "Keep your eye on the target, don't let it escape. Then when you ready to take aim, take a deep breath." Kara listened intently to his words. She kept the wire in her line of sight. But she could still feel the nerves wrangling through her body. Because of that, she kept blinking in an attempt to drown it out and refocus. She suddenly felt something grab onto her hand. It was Oliver. He was holding onto could feel how intensely he was holding, that he was scared as well, but even so, he was doing his best to help her. It was as if the intensity from Oliver had evened out her nerves and she started to feel calm. She restarted her steps and finally took deep a breath. "When you exhale… do it." This was the moment. Kara had her eye on the wire and it had not waived from her. Then with all conviction, she let out a concentrated heat vision shot and it pierced, hitting the red wire.

For a moment, time stood still, no one moved and nothing moved. All Kara could feel was Oliver holding her hand. They finally began to look around and looked at the bomb. The light had gone off and they most certainly hadn't been blown apart. In unison, the both of them let out a huge sigh of relief. They panted from being relieved from the intense pressure they had just gone through. They turned to look at each other. No words were said, and they continued to look at each other with all the emotions running high. Without thought, Oliver came in, grabbed Kara by her face and began to kiss her. Kara was surprised by Oliver's sudden movement as their lips were interlocked with one another, but she also felt happy. They found comfort in each other's relief and as if all at once, everything that been bottled down was unleashed. Oliver slowly retracted from Kara, the two of them opening their eyes. They continued to stare at each other longingly, before they broke into laughter with their head buried next to each other. They had laughed at the fact that it took them this long to finally get to this point. If there was anything to take from that night, it was that at that moment, had things gone wrong. the one thing that they wanted to do, was kiss each other.

* * *

A few hours had passed since Kara had disarmed the bomb. Oliver had reported in the incident and had some people cleaned up the area. After saying goodbye to the final officer, only Oliver and Kara were standing in the room. They hadn't uttered a word to each other since the kiss, but it felt like there was nothing else to be said. Oliver looked at Kara with a smile and Kara looked down with a blush on her face.

"Hey… I need to finish up a few things up here in the office." Oliver said. Kara lifted her head up to look at Oliver.

"Oh, okay..." Kara said, her voice was low and sounded a bit sad.

"But… when I get back, we can talk more about what happened," Oliver said, giving her a smile.

"Okay…" Kara said softly. They looked at each other one last time before Kara left his office. Oliver returned to his desk and was attempting to resume his mayor duties but could not shake off what had just happened to him and Kara. They had finally done it. To Oliver's relief, she had felt the same way. It was a huge weight that had been lifted from Oliver's chest. He was excited to return home and meet Kara once again. He heard the door open and turned around. But before he could react, he felt a slight sting on his neck and felt his consciousness go off balance. His vision started to blur, but he could briefly make out the person at the door. It was Dragon.

"Dragon…" Oliver mumbled before he collapsed onto the ground and passed out. Dragon walked over to this body. He looked down with a smile drawn on his face.

"You've done well, Mr. Queen. Now although, this certainly wouldn't be how I do things. It appears Cayden wants to see you. I have no idea why, but… the show must go on… right?" Dragon said with a chuckle. "All in due time. All in due time."


	8. Enter Supergirl

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Cayden James decides to proceed with his plan. With Oliver missing, Kara makes a decision.

Days had passed since Oliver Queen had gone missing. Media outlets went crazy with the news, reporting different events and speculations about what happened to Star City's mayor. One source speculated that he may have been killed whilst another source had reported that he had given in to the pressure surrounding his identity of being the Green Arrow and left the city. No one knew where Oliver was, except the ones who had taken him.

Oliver awoke to the sound of metal clanking loudly in the background. He was placed inside a room that resembled that of a cell. There was very minimal light in the room and the only exit was a metal door that was locked on the other side. He had been restrained to a chair with his arms and legs being bound together to restrict his movements. He had been trapped in there for a few days and with each of those days, followed the same routine. He would wake up, spend a huge amount of time doing nothing before getting tortured for hours until they left. Why had they acted now? What purpose did it serve keeping him alive, when they had the opportunity to kill him a few days ago. These were the thoughts that Oliver had pondered over the last few days. The torture and environmental situation was nothing for Oliver to handle. The thing that he was more concerned about, was the fact that his current position would stir panic with the public and his friends. But since Kara was more prominent in his life, he didn't have to worry about his friends being in danger, but the same couldn't be said for the city. He heard the sound of the door being unlocked and directed his attention towards it. The door opened and standing on the other side was Cayden and Dragon. They both proceeded inside the room, Cayden had walked over to Oliver whilst Dragon had gone off to lean his back against the wall. Cayden turned his head to look at Dragon who was watching the two of them with his arms crossed.

"I must apologise for keeping this meeting from happening, Mr. Queen." Cayden started, turning his head back to look at Oliver. "I have been very busy, in making sure my preparations were complete. I had hoped that they were not too rough on you." Oliver was exhausted, his expression showed all his weariness coming through and Cayden had seen it. Oliver could see that he was mocking him.

"What are you trying to accomplish here Cayden? Why are you keeping me alive, if you think I'm on the one who killed your son?" Oliver asked, his voice was rather raspy from the lack of water.

"I ask myself that a lot. What I came up for in response to that, is that I'm simply tired of your consistent meddling. I have much to do and your continued resistance coupled with that new friend of yours is an annoyance. That is why you cannot die… not yet anyway." Cayden explained.

"I've told you… I didn't kill your son, Cayden. It wasn't me." Oliver said. Cayden lowered himself to match eye-level with Oliver and looked at him for quite a while.

"Hmph. Even if that was the case, Mr. Queen, that does not change what my objective is. I will get justice for my son, and my plan will ensure that he will." Cayden said, raising himself back up. "You're free to judge me as you will, but this is my way of fighting. And I assure you, no one can stop what's about to happen." Cayden said, he had turned around and began to walk away, heading outside of the room. The way Cayden had phrased it left it quite ambiguous to Oliver.

"What are you going to do, Cayden?" Oliver asked, but Cayden did not reply and continued to walk towards the other side. Dragon had gone to close the door leaving just him and Oliver in the room. "WHAT ARE YOU GOING TO DO?!" Oliver shouted directing it at Cayden, but it was a futile effort.

* * *

It had been a few days since Oliver's disappearance and Kara had begun to worry. She had been tirelessly working with the others in trying to locate Oliver but to no avail. There were very minimal traces for the team to follow up on and it appeared that someone was cleaning them up. Kara remembered that night very well, it was right after when they shared their first kiss with each other that night. Oliver had said he would return later on so that they could discuss what had happened but he never showed up. Kara had assumed he had to stay longer and went to bed. However when the following morning arrived and Oliver still hadn't returned, is when they confirmed Oliver was missing. Felicity had tried to track the GPS on his suit but it was already destroyed. Then soon, the media outlets came up with news reporting his disappearance and a disturbance began to stir in the city.

Kara was sitting on a chair in the kitchen looking at the bowl of cereal she was eating. She looked at it and let out a sigh. Things had finally picked up between her and Oliver, but just as it had reached the climax it had gone away just as quickly. She felt powerless not being able to add more to his rescue. But she knew, whatever that was going to happen to him, he knew he could take it. It didn't take away the fact that she was worried but it helped ease the pain. Kara's attention had shifted when she saw William enter the room. Kara had tried to keep the facts pertaining to his father as minimal as possible but the media was relentless and he had eventually known the situation. He had the same worried look on his face that Kara had and ever since Oliver's disappearance he had been different. He walked up to Kara and sat beside her.

"How's it going… with the search?" William asked, his voice was low which was probably due to the current situation they were in. Kara turned her head slightly towards William.

"Hey Will… we haven't had much luck…" Kara responded. William put his head down after her response. " But I promise, we will find him soon."

"Yeah… I just… I just hope he's okay…" William said. Kara could feel the sadness in William's voice. William had been different ever since Oliver's disappearance, Kara had thought that perhaps he felt guilty about what happened to him. Kara put her hand on his shoulders and William turned his head slightly to look at her.

"He'll be fine. Your dad's tough… one of the toughest people I know. He wouldn't want you to worry… besides, he's the Green Arrow, right?" Kara said, her voice came off quite soothing and she was trying to reassure him. William let out a light-hearted sigh.

"Yeah… Thanks, Kara…" William said, he gave her a smile. It had been a while since she last saw it and it made Kara feel better that she had helped ease the situation. The moment was cut short when Kara's phone went off. She looked at the screen and saw that it was Felicity calling her. She picked up the call.

"Hey Kara, sorry if I'm interrupting anything, but we need you here," Felicity said.

"No, it's fine. Yeah, I'll be there soon." Kara responded. She then ended the call and put the phone back in her pocket. She saw William looking at her, it seemed he was curious but didn't want to pry. "Hey Will, I've gotta-" Kara had started but then cut herself off. She began to think to herself, what was she going to do with William. With how things are currently going, it wasn't safe for him to be alone. And knowing Oliver, he would want him to be safe. Kara decided it was best to take William with her. "Will, we need to go. Something's come up." William had a confused look on his face but he saw that Kara was being earnest. He gave a nod to show that he understood. The two began to make their way to the foundry.

* * *

Kara and William had finally arrived at the foundry and they saw that Diggle had been pacing around whilst Felicity was on the computer. Kara made her way up to the other whilst William had gone off to do his own thing. The two turned around to greet Kara and she returned the gesture back towards them. Felicity then wheeled around back to face the computer.

"So… what's the situation?" Kara asked.

"Well, we have some good news… think I can start off with that." Felicity said. Kara was intrigued to know of the good news. "We finally have proof that the footage of Oliver killing Cayden's son was doctored." Felicity began to showcase what she had said. She pulled up the footage and the facial recognition technology revealed that the true person behind it had use a bow and arrow to set Oliver up. The masking tool came off and it showed an entirely different person on screen.

"Who… who is that?" Kara asked, she had no idea who she was looking but she was glad that they had proof that the footage was altered.

"That's Karl Iscove, a paid assassin," Felicity responded. "But… don't get your hopes up, he's dead."

"Oh… um, well at least we know for a fact now that this proves Oliver was set up. We have to find Cayden and show this to him so that he can stop whatever he's planning." Kara said.

"Yeah… that's the bad news. We don't where he is. If we did, we would know where Oliver is as well." Felicity said.

"It's been hard doing this with the three of us, It could really help us to have someone with the same expertise to help out," John said. Kara had noticed something in what he said.

"Wait… what'd you say?" Kara asked. He had repeated the same thing. "Heh… you know what? I think I got an idea." Kara said. John and Felicity gave her a confused look. Kara had taken a few steps. "I'll be right back." She took out her extrapolator and opened a breach to her Earth. She stepped through and arrived back at her apartment. She had begun to look around. "Damn, she isn't here." There was only one other place she could be. Kara flew out of her apartment and headed for the D.E.O.

She got there as quickly as she could and landed inside the building, making her way through. Everyone turned their attention to her arrival. As she walked towards the centre she saw various people looking at her. Mon-El and Imra were on one side, appearing to have been engrossed in a conversation. Brainiac and Winn were at the computers, having a go at each other, as usual. She finally saw the person she was seeking and she was with J'onn. They had turned to face and immediately the two came in to give her a hug.

"Kara! You're back! How were things?" Alex asked. She saw that her sister's face had shifted quickly from the joyous feeling of the reunion to a more serious look.

"Hey, it's been great… somewhat. But… I'm sorry to ask this so suddenly Alex, but I need your help." Kara said. She saw that Alex and J'onn had a confused look on their faces. She continued to explain the situation to the two of them. After she had finished explaining, those confused looks had been quelled.

"Ah I see, so Oliver's been kidnapped. And… you need my help in locating him?" Alex asked.

"Well, you have the training and the field expertise to go with it. Plus, you were always better at this stuff than I was." Kara said, giving her a smile.

"Well, I could never refuse you, Kara. So, of course, I'll help." Alex said, she tried not to sound so happy from Kara's compliment but it was radiating off her face.

"That cool with you, J'onn?" Kara asked. She had noticed he hadn't said anything since her arrival.

"Normally I wouldn't. But I can see that this is important to you, Kara. So yes, I am cool with it." J'onn said. Kara let off a smile and came in to give him a hug, showing her appreciation. J'onn let out a light-hearted sigh. "Now go, and make sure you find him." The two gave him a nod and Kara opened a breach back to Earth 1.

* * *

Oliver was alone with Dragon who had just re-entered the room. It had been a few hours since Cayden made his exit. This was the first instance that the two had been fully secluded together. Oliver had numerous things to ask him but the first one on the top of his head came up.

"How'd… how'd you get past my security?" Oliver asked. Dragon looked up and began to walk around the room.

"Hmm… how do you think I did it, Oliver?" Dragon asked him back. Oliver began to ponder the numerous situations that would have allowed Dragon to easily get to him. He then came upon the one conclusion that made sense. It was an inside job. Dragon noticed the look of realization on Oliver's face and drew a smirk on his face. "Seems, you finally understand. Yes, Oliver. Someone on your 'side' let me in. But you shouldn't be that surprised… right?" Oliver turned his head quickly and stared at Dragon. "You've always known there was corruption in this city. No matter how much try, you cannot be rid of it completely. And I used that to my advantage. It's only logical that I would, wouldn't you say?" Oliver didn't know what to say, he couldn't deny the things Dragon was saying to him. Learning that someone had actually breached that trust left a sore wound on Oliver.

"Why… why are you working with Cayden then? From my standpoint, I don't see what would benefit you in assisting him. Is money really all you care about in all of this?" Oliver asked.

"My, where did this come from? I'm merely a drug dealer whose interest aligned with Cayden. So what if I make a couple of bucks?" Dragon said, his voice was highly suggesting his sarcasm. But Oliver's experience on the island gave him a keen perception on how to read people and people like Dragon were different to the likes of Cayden.

"Just cut the crap, Dragon. I can tell, people like you are different. You keep your true agenda hidden and put on a facade. I would know, I've done it. Our encounter at the Bank verified this beyond a doubt." Oliver said. Dragon came to a stop in front of Oliver, his side facing him. He turned his head to look at Oliver.

"Hmph, aren't you perceptive, Oliver. Well then, as a reward, I will tell you one thing." Dragon said, he approached Oliver and then knelt down to match him eye-level. "I do have an interest in this city. Something far bigger. And I need Cayden… for now." He got back up and began to continue his circling. Oliver pondered the words Dragon had said, what did he mean?

* * *

Kara and Alex jumped through the breach and landed back in the foundry. John jumped at their sudden entrance but quickly tried to compose himself. Kara tried to contain her laughter at his reaction. Kara reintroduced everyone to her sister and they exchanged greetings. They then brought her up to speed with the current situation.

"Okay… I think I understand most of it." Alex said to confirm her understanding of the situation. "Do we have anything to go on?" She asked.

"Well as Felicity mentioned, someone has been carefully concealing any leads. But during our reconnaissance, me and Kara were able to narrow the possible locations." John said. Kara nodded her head to confirm John's statement. Felicity proceeded to bring up the mentioned locations onto the screen and everyone came in closer for a better look. Alex began to analyse the information on the screen and processed everything in her head.

"Well it appears the last one to see Oliver was Kara, according to her, they were at City Hall. Oliver told her that he would be back later, but he didn't return. So that means Oliver had intended to return but sometime after Kara left, is when they took him. We know Cayden is plotting something against the city, meaning he's not going to be leaving it anytime soon. Now as a result of the recon, we can narrow our options on where to begin our search, My guess is the most likely one to start is this factory located in the Glades." Alex surmised. Everyone had listened and followed through her train of thought. She turned to look at everyone's faces and she saw no one disagreeing with her and took it as a sign of relief that she was on a good track. As they had agreed upon their course of action they had begun to descend the stairs and had just about reached the elevator when Felicity suddenly called them back to grab their attention.

"Uh… guys! You've got to see this." Felicity said. The three had turned around and Felicity pulled up what she had gotten concerned over and displayed it on the big monitor. Kara looked intently and saw that it was a news broadcast. There was a woman reporter on screen and it appeared to have been an emergency broadcast, which was why it had gotten Felicity's attention.

"I come to you live from City Hall, where my news team has been instructed to commence this live broadcast-" the reporter had gone on to say the message she was ordered to say. Kara had ignored most of the message and headed straight towards Felicity.

"What's going on?" Kara asked Felicity.

"Well… this was sudden. I think someone's gotten a hold of this news team. I think we know who's responsible for this." Felicity said. Kara let out a sigh.

"Cayden James…" Kara said dejectedly. Felicity nodded. Kara had just turned around to continue watching the broadcast when there was suddenly a shift in the transmission. Now, displayed on the screen was Cayden James.

"Hello, Star City. You may not who I am, and that is alright. You shouldn't. However, I know of you. I know what this city is and what it stands for. But I will not digress any further, this is a message to the Green Arrow and his friends. I assume you've been very interested in knowing what happened to Oliver Queen. It must be hard losing such a close regarded friend but have no fear, this will all end shortly. I have no doubt you will be able to locate me because of this transmission, so I welcome you to come to me." with that the transmission had ended.

"Felicity can you-" Kara had started but was interjected.

"Way ahead of you. He's within the City Hall area on one of the nearby rooftops." Felicity said. Kara didn't wait a moment longer but she had begun moving.

"Kara, what are you doing?" Alex asked.

"Isn't it obvious? I'm going to him." Kara said.

"But what about finding Oliver, what if this is a distraction?" Alex asked.

"It could possibly be. Guess we'll have to find out. I'm gonna trust with you two in finding him." Kara said. She had begun to walk over to her suit but came to a stop. She thought to herself, was this the right thing to do? She had no idea. But she felt if she didn't pursue this, she would regret it. "Should I?... But I promised Oliver that I…" Kara had said to herself, she had contemplated putting on her Supergirl suit.

"Then, wear it." a voice said. Kara turned around to see who had said it and saw that it was William.

"Will?..." Kara lowly whispered, she had not expected William to say anything.

"I… I know recently I have been quite... discouraging when it came to all of this. I even got into a fight with my dad… but... I think that it was a good thing. It gave me a lot of time to myself and to think. And I think… I finally get it. Why you guys need to do this." William said, his expression seemed to be more relaxed than before. It seemed that this was something he had been thinking a lot to himself and had finally made his mind on.

"Where… where's this coming from Will?" Kara asked.

"I remember… I remember that only a few years ago I was looking up to heroes, like The Flash and The Green Arrow. They were like these outer world beings that were saving people and it felt like it was something far beyond my world. But… when I realised that my dad was the Green Arrow… that gap became smaller. It became scary to me… I had just met my dad but discovering that he was risking his life every night, made me worried I wouldn't see him again. I know I was selfish when I asked him to give it up, but I didn't want to lose him. But… remembering that feeling I had when I looked up to those heroes, reminded me why I did in the first place. That feeling… it's so hard to describe… but it just fills you with hope and makes you believe that you can be a hero too. So I get it… the world needs its heroes. It won't change that worried feeling… but… knowing you guys are saving people… makes it a little easier…" William said. No one had anything to say, William had just poured out his heart in front of everyone. Kara drew a smile on her face. She had never expected to hear anything like that from William and as a result, she had gained a new respect for him, for someone so young he showed a new level of maturity.

"Thanks, Will. That was really touching. You know, I once heard someone say that everyone has a hero inside of them. A side of us that keeps us going, makes us honest and noble." Kara said, she saw William lift his head to look at her. His eyes full of earnest. "You can be a hero." She didn't know if it was an appropriate thing to say to him but it also felt like the right thing to say. She saw him lower his head a little, a smile drawn on his face. It seemed that struck something inside of him. "Also promise me one thing…" William again lifted his head to look back at Kara. "Make sure you tell your dad this too, okay?" William gave her a nod.

Kara turned to face her suit that was in the cabinet case, it was right next to Oliver's Green Arrow suit. She looked at it for a while and then muttered to herself. "Hang on, Ollie…". She then returned to her suit and began to put it on. Even though it had been a few weeks since her arrival in Star City, it felt like forever since she last wore it. She turned around to see everyone looking at her. "Well? How Do I look?"

"Like a hero," Alex said. Everyone nodded and agreed with what she said.

"It does feel good to be in it again," Kara said, moving her arms around to stretch in it. "Okay, so I'll go meet Cayden and you guys focus on finding Oliver."

"Alright, sounds like a plan," John said. Kara let out a smile and then without warning, turned around and burst through the top of the elevator, making her way out of the hideout.

"Uh… she knows we have to pay for that, right?" Felicity said. John and Alex turned to look at her. "What?"

John and Alex had gone off to begin preparing to set out. Felicity went back to the computer to maintain her watch. William had wandered off to another section of the hideout. He stood there, staring at the various gear and weapons that were on display. He stopped his gaze upon a knife that was lying on the table and had begun to pick it up. For no reason, the last few words Kara had said had begun to reverberate inside his head. You can be a hero. He didn't know why, but he couldn't shake off those words. After that conversation with Kara, something inside him had changed, it was as if something had been lit. He then noticed that John and Alex had finished their preparations. They had started to move towards the van parked at the other exit. He didn't know why he did what he did, but he put whatever he was holding inside his pocket and ran towards their direction.

* * *

Kara flew through the skies of Star City, the air brushing off her face and her cape flowing. It had been a while since she had felt this feeling and it felt better now that she was in her suit again. She had reached the vicinity of City Hall and spun around trying to locate Cayden. She managed to spot him a few blocks to the west and flew towards him. She saw Cayden react to her approaching him and she slowly descended unto the roof.

"Where is he?" Kara said, starting off the interaction. She saw the confused look on his face, it must have been due to the fact that it was his first time seeing her in the suit. But he quickly composed himself.

"I almost didn't recognise you there… Ms. Danvers." Cayden said, his expression had returned to his normal confidence. Kara's eyes widened when he said her name. She had never said her name to him, how did he know? "I assume from the look on your face, you're wondering how I know your name? It wasn't that hard, we just had a little... chat with Ms. Wright." It took a moment for a Kara to process the name, but she eventually remembers who it belonged to.

"What did you do to her?!" Kara shouted, she saw him let out a chuckle.

"Don't worry, she's not dead if that's your concern," Cayden said. Kara felt a sigh of relief, she didn't know whether to trust his word, but that's all she could do at that point. She didn't want to continue this senseless small talk.

"Look, we have proof that Oliver wasn't the one responsible for your son's death. It was someone else but they've already died. It was a setup to frame Oliver, the true culprit is still out there." Kara said, she saw Cayden narrow his eyes. He looks down for a moment as if to process what he had heard from Kara. After a moment, he raised them and stared straight at Kara.

"Well… it appears there was some validity to Mr. Queen's words after all." Cayden said. Kara let out a sigh of relief, he had taken it much better than she thought it would. " But… this revelation does not change my objective. The true culprit remains at large and I will continue my mission."

"What? Why… why are you so hellbent on all of this? Is this something your son would want you to be doing?" Kara asked.

"You don't know my son!... No one did. But yet… he still died." Cayden exclaimed, his voice roared and filled with pain. Cayden looked at Kara for a bit, moving his eyes up and down. "I don't know who you are, and where you come from, Ms. Danvers. But this city… it is a place that you have no comprehension of understanding. Your type… the one that goes around boasting about hope and all that heroic nonsense… have no grasp of what this city is. It is a cruel world, one that just keeps taking and taking from you. Your friend, Oliver Queen, he realises the darkness that lies within this city… but his fight is futile, this city will never change. Just like your arrival won't change a thing either. I only survived this long because I had my son, but even this city took him from me… and so, I will, without fail, return the gesture this city has given me and send it to hell." Kara hadn't said anything and had listened to Cayden's speech for a while. She could feel the pain and what he had experienced through his voice. It is what Oliver had tried to tell her a few days ago, the change that he wanted to bring upon the city. Could such a thing be possible?

"What about the people of this city? Some of them don't like this just as much-" Kara said but she got cut off by Cayden.

"Enough. It's pointless for you to try, Ms. Danvers. What you're trying to do, right now, talking things out. It only works when both sides are willing. And I… am far too gone. The only thing I care about is carrying out my plan… everything else can go to hell." Cayden said. He dug into his pocket and brought out a switch device with his finger already held on the button. Kara didn't have time to react to his action with the sudden change of pace. She suddenly felt a rumble and a loud explosion coming from behind her. She turned around to face where the sound had come from. It was in the distance but she could see the smoke rising from the distance. She quickly turned around. "WHAT DID YOU DO?!" Kara shouted at him.

"I'm ending this. I know that at least the culprit is within this city and now they will receive the punishment they deserve. What happens after that, I don't care…" Cayden said, his voice had gotten colder and his eyes looked hollow. Kara looked at him with her shocked expression, she had never met a man such as him. Was this a result of the darkness within Star City? Whatever it was she didn't have time to worry.

"You may be right… I may not be able to save you…" Kara said, she turned around and had begun to bent her knees, the floor cracking and rumbling. "BUT I WON'T LET YOU DESTROY THIS CITY!" Kara roared and then with all her might pushed off the ground. Her explosive start lets off a slight shockwave that pushed Cayden back a bit. Kara had risen above the city, with everything in her line of sight. She heard a crackle coming in from her comms.

"Kara, we have a problem," Felicity said, her voice coming through the comms.

"I know," Kara responded.

"Cayden has control over all the tech in the city and he's set them to go haywire. I've also detected numerous explosive scattered throughout the city." Felicity relayed over.

"Okay," Kara said.

"W-What are you going to do?" Felicity asked she got a little scared at Kara's short responses.

"I'm stopping… all of this." Kara said. Her face full of determination, Kara began racing off around the city.

* * *

Alex and John had arrived at the factory within the glades. They had reached the entrance when they heard a loud explosion going off in the distance. They turned around to towards the direction of the sound.

"W-What the hell was that? Is this because of Cayden?" John asked.

"I-I don't know, it doesn't look good…" Alex responded she was in the same boat as John. "But… we've got Kara out there right now, so it'll be fine. She's Supergirl." She saw John look at her with uncertainty. But she saw it changed after he had processed and saw the belief that Alex had for her sister.

"Heh, alright… then let's focus on finding Oliver. We can't slack off." John said, giving her a smile. Alex returned the gesture and nodded. They armed themselves with their firearms and began to proceed inside the factory.

* * *

The rumble had reached towards Oliver's location as well and the sudden force gave both him and Dragon quite the shock. He looked at Dragon, he didn't seem as surprised as Oliver was but it came out of nowhere so it caught him off guard.

"What was that?" Oliver asked. Dragon turned to look at Oliver.

"Hmph… it appears, that Cayden has decided to go through with his plan." Dragon responded.

"What? What the hell is he doing?" Oliver asked. Dragon didn't respond immediately. It annoyed Oliver that he didn't know what was going on. After a while, Dragon finally spoke up.

"He's going to destroy the city… but let's see if your girlfriend can stop him, hehe." Dragon replied. Oliver's eyes widened and his initial reaction was to get up, but the restraints kept him in place. He felt powerless not being able to do anything in his current position. The only thing he could do was to place his hope onto Kara.

"She'll stop this," Oliver said. He saw a smirk drew upon Dragon's face.

"Oh, I'm counting on it." Dragon said, the smile still on. Oliver was confused. He had not expected that response from him. What on Earth was Dragon's true objective?

* * *

Kara had been zooming around Star City, tending to the various incidents that started popping around. She briefly caught a glimpse of people staring at her as she flew. Those that were in their cars had gotten out and started to run for their lives. Kara spotted a lone one that was still moving and it seemed to be driving in an unusual fashion while going really fast. She used her enhanced hearing and heard a woman's scream for help coming from inside. Kara started moving towards the car. She saw that there were a group of civilians at the end of the road and the car didn't seem like it wasn't going to stop.

The car started to sway, shifting from left to right. It hit the curb, which in turn caused the car to spin. The civilians then noticed the car heading towards them. It was coming in fast and the group tried to disperse themselves. There were so many of them that movement was quite restrictive. The ones on the outer had managed to get away but the ones in the centre were still struggling. The car hit a curb again and with the momentum from it spinning tossed it into the air. Everything had gone so fast, the civilians in the centre realised the position they were in and began to cover their heads. They closed their eyes as that was what they could only do. They held that position for a moment, expecting the impact to have hit them. When nothing did, they slowly raised their heads and open their eyes. They saw it, the car suspended above them. They didn't understand what was going on, until they saw a head pop up. It was Kara, she made it and was carrying the car with both of her hands. They just looked at her in awe as they don't know what words to say. Kara began to lower the car and place it safely on the ground. She then proceeded to let the woman inside out. She scrambled out, holding on to Kara and then began to hug her, expressing her gratitude. She finally let go and was about to take off when she heard a voice.

"Thank you! But… w-who are you?" a man asked. Kara turned around to see the looks in the civilians' faces. She simply gave them a smile.

"I'm Supergirl." Kara said, and with that, she took off. The civilians were left there, saved by this random person who showed up out of nowhere. They didn't know how to process what had just happened to them. They began to talk amongst themselves.

"She said her name was Supergirl, what is she, a meta?" a woman said.

"Perhaps one of those vigilantes, aren't they supposed to be outlawed?" a man said.

"I-I don't know… but something tells me she's more than that." This time it was the woman who was saved that spoke up. The others began to look at her. "This is just a gut feeling but… I think… she's a hero."

Meanwhile, Kara was on her next pursuit. An elevator had gone off control and was plummeting down at high speeds. Kara burst through the building and then through the elevator shaft. She then changed direction and sped down the shaft. Bursting through the top of the elevator, she grabbed the man inside it and flew straight out. She placed him out on the street before taking off again.

Felicity had provided her with the information she needed and kept track of how much was left. Together they narrowed down and quelled all the incidents that were occurring. After what seemed to be a long period of time, it seemed like this was the last one. A crane had lost control and its arm was on course to crash into a building where civilians were still inside. Kara was flying in as fast she could and managed to put herself between the two. She used her strength to completely stop the crane's movement. The collision created a shockwave and the people inside stood there in awe. Kara began to ascend higher into the sky to gain an overlook of the city.

"Whew… I-I think that was the last one. You did it, Supergirl!" Felicity said over the comms. Kara let out a sigh of relief.

"Alright. Thanks for the assist." Kara said back over. She signed off the comms and began to make her way back to Cayden. He was still on the roof she last saw him on. It appears that he was watching her. She descended on the roof. The look on his face was a mixture of disbelief and amusement.

"That was most impressive, Ms. Danvers. It seems you have extraordinary abilities. I certainly did not foresee this turn of events." Cayden said.

"Then you see then, it's over." Kara said. But Cayden did not look defeated.

"I beg to differ." Cayden he said that, Kara heard the crackle in her comms and pushed to answer.

"Supergirl, I'm picking up something. Based on what I'm seeing, this is bad, like really bad." Felicity said.

"What is it?!" Kara asked.

"I think it's the bomb Cayden's been preparing. The signature on this is off the charts! The explosive level… it could take all of Star City!" Felicity said.

"Where is it then?!" Kara shouted.

"It should be at your location.." Felicity said. Kara knew she was on top of the roof and there didn't appear to be anything beside her and Cayden. She looked down and x-rayed through. She scan through all the floors.

"I can't see it, Overwatch!" Kara shouted.

"I-I don't get it… you're literally on the dot." Felicity said. Kara didn't understand, she was where the bomb was supposed to be, but she couldn't find it.

"Have you heard of Noah's ark, Ms. Danvers…?" Cayden asked, his voice was low and Kara had barely heard him. She looked at him and was confused at his sudden question.

"I've heard of it." Kara replied.

"Well, the final stage of my plan is inspired by that, just with a little modification. My ark will rain upon Star City and instead of providing protection, it will destroy the entire city." Cayden said. Kara began to think to herself. Why did he bring that up? She went over his words. Ark, rain, destroy. She didn't know what it could mean, but then it just popped into her head, The reverse of the story, the ark will rain. Rain. With her realisation she looked up, towards the sky and to her disbelief, she saw it. The ark that Cayden had been describing. It was big cargo transport aircraft and it had begun its descent on the city. She turned her gaze to Cayden.

"This is the end, Ms. Danvers." Cayden said, there was barely any energy in the man left. Kara didn't have time to think. The aircraft was falling, and if everything was true, there was a giant explosive on that plane that would destroy Star City. Kara took off and began flying towards the aircraft as fast as she could. Cayden kept his eyes on her, as she started to fly up to the aircraft. He let out a scoff and pulled out a tablet that he had next to him. He used it to project himself onto every screen within Star City.

"Hello again, people of Star City. This is a message to each and every one of you. My name is Cayden James, but very shortly it won't matter. This city holds a darkness, something I am sure, most of you are aware of. But it's also something you choose to overlook. As a result, many people have been lost, including my son. Amongst you, is a person who has taken my son from me, but yet this person has not faced their due punishment. No one has even cared. So, I have taken responsibility and will carry out their punishment. I will destroy this city to ensure that person dies, as a result, you will all die with them. And I won't even care." the message had been broadcasted all over the city. Anyone who was present within a screen saw the message. Their gazes turn to the sky and they saw the huge aircraft descending upon them.

Kara had reached the aircraft and it was much bigger than it looked from the ground. She didn't waste any time and began to press both her hands onto the tip of the nose. She felt the entire mass of the aircraft fell onto her palms and it's momentum having been falling through kept pushing Kara down with it. Kara tightened her grip and with all her might used her strength to decelerate the aircraft. She roared, exerting all her focus into her push.

Cayden had finished playing his message and had reached the edge of the roof to look down on the civilians. He was expecting to see them cowering in fear and crying in terror. But when he got there, he heard and saw nothing. He got confused and didn't understand what was going on. He had played the message and the incidents that appeared should have been striking fear into them, but yet he did not hear anything. Then, he heard it, the sounds was barely audible to him but it started to get louder as time passed. He finally made out the sound and realised that they had begun cheering. He dreaded the cause of the cheering but his curiosity overwhelmed him. He looked up and to his dreaded realisation saw the sight that bestowed the rallying of the civilians. He simply uttered "Impossible."

It stopped. Through all her might and her tremendous roar, she finally stopped the aircraft's descent. For a moment, she was still, holding the aircraft in place. Her heart was beating fast as she had just cut it close but she made it. She broke out of that nothingness when she heard the cries of cheers coming from below her. It was coming from all over Star City. All eyes were on her as she stopped the falling aircraft that was supposed to bring their doom. She couldn't help but feel empowered by the rally of support she was hearing. She began to move and proceed to ascend with the plane in hand. She continued, all the way, until she broke the atmosphere. She then tossed it, into space. She let out her pants coming from the relief of stress and slowly she descended back to Star City.


	9. A Hero's Desperation

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Kara saved Star City, but what does Dragon have planned?

(1 Hour Ago…)

William remained still. He hadn't heard anything for a while now and when he decided the coast was clear, he poked his head up. He looked around, surveying the area around him and saw that no one was in sight. He let out a sigh of relief. He had stowed away on the van Alex and John had used to travel to the factory. He got out of the van using the back doors and hopped off. He looked around him, the vast landscape of the glades and how different it was in comparison to the central areas of the city. There was a lot of run-down buildings and trash everywhere. He turned his gaze towards the factory that was in front of him. It was huge, encompassing a huge amount of the area. He saw that the entrance had been forced open and assumed that it was because of Alex and John.

His heart was beating fast, his nerves shook his entire body and he had no idea why he had come here. What was his plan? He didn't know what to do, how he was going to do anything. The only thing he knew, was that he wanted to see Oliver. That thought had overwhelmed his mind and it was something he wanted desperately. With that, he slowly proceeds into the building.

* * *

The infiltration team had made their way through the factory. The interior was very large, with numerous corridors and a few large areas. Alex and John proceeded together, each covering one another's backs. They had not run into the enemy yet and with the areas that they had passed through, it seemed that there were not many people within the building, When they had reached the second floor, they came to a stop by a doorway. They treaded lightly, careful to not make any sounds. John peered inside, moving his head slowly and made out three figures in the room.

"There's three of them in there, and I recognise one of them." John whispered to Alex.

"Who is it?" Alex asked in a whisper.

"His name is Anatoly… an old acquaintance of Oliver's." John replied. Alex gave him an inquisitive look. "But… he's allied himself with the enemy, so we'll have to take him out." John turned his gaze back to the room and thought about a plan. They didn't want to make any noises, so shooting them would not be favourable. He looked at his hand, the one that was still injured and tremoring. He knew he couldn't risk shooting. "Okay, here's what we'll do. I'll go in first, you cover me. Once I get to one, you take out the other. As for Anatoly, we don't have to worry about him…" John said.

"Hmm? Why's that?" Alex asked.

"He's… more of a talker, than a fighter…" John said.

"Oh, alright…" Alex said. She pulled out her pistol and readied herself. She gave John a nod to signal she was ready. He noticed her pistol had a silencer on it, it appeared she came prepared and it gave a John a sense of relief. He returned his own and proceeded to move in.

He moved in slowly, crouched low so that they couldn't see him. Their backs were turned and were looking at the front. John neared one of them and jumped on him. He put his arms around the goon's neck and began to put him in a choke hold. The other two began to react and shifted their attention to him. Alex didn't let them have time and shot the other one in the leg. He collapsed and was on his knees. Alex ran into the room and saw that John still had his man in a hold. She turned to the one she shot and used the butt of her gun to knock him out. The impact immediately took him out and he laid, face forward on the floor. Anatoly began to stammer and tried to pull out his gun. Alex kept moving, she slided over the table and spun her body to kick the gun out of his hand. John finally put his man out as well and came up to join her.

"Nice moves there." John said, he was impressed with her skills.

"Thanks." Alex said, she smiled at his compliment. She pointed her gun and told him to back up to the wall.

"Hmph, you must be Oliver's friends." Anatoly said. His eye shifted constantly between the gun and the two standing before him.

"Where is he, Anatoly?" John asked, he didn't want to partake in any small talk. He didn't respond, he just keep his gaze on the gun. "I'm not here to play games! Where is he?!" John shouted, slamming his fist onto the wall next to Anatoly. He still did not budge an inch. John slowly backed off, staring intently into Anatoly's eyes. He felt Alex's hand pressed onto his chest and saw that she walked forward. John saw a cold look on Alex's face, one that he never saw on her. He stepped back, giving her room and she proceeded to grill Anatoly. She moved fast, raising her right arm towards his neck and grabbed him. Anatoly's body twitched at her sudden movement but froze with Alex's firm grip on his neck.

"I don't know who you are… and frankly, I don't care. But if you don't start talking..." Alex said, her eyes staring straight into Anatoly's. Her hand tightening around his neck. "... then my hand will grip harder… and who knows what'll happen at that point…". John was taken aback at Alex's handling of the situation. It was not something he had never seen before, but he didn't expect it to come from Alex. Anatoly's eyes began to show the fear he was experiencing, he grunted at the vice grip he had on his neck. Then, John saw it, something to the right of them, he couldn't make out what it was because of the low lighting but it was coming in closer.

"I would rather die… than tell you where that traitor is…! "Anatoly uttered, struggling to get the words out. The figure came in closer and it was Black Siren. She walked slowly, entering the room where the other three were in. John after realising who it was, tried to grab Alex's attention by grabbing her shoulder, but she did not budge and continued staring into Anatoly's eyes. Laurel raised her head and had begun to take a position. John knew what was coming next, he grabbed Alex and used all his strength to pull her with him. Laurel let out a cry, aimed at where John and Alex were standing, but John's fast reaction managed to pull them out of the clear. The cry went on ahead and hit the opposite wall, crashing into it. Rubble started to full and dust had begun to envelope the room. Laurel walked up to Anatoly, he was gasping for breath after being let go of Alex's grip. She whispered into his ear, "Get out of here." He looked back up at her, surprised at the situation. After he had processed, he left the room and made his escape.

John and Alex were on the other side, they began to cough at the sudden exposure to dust. It had clouded their view and they could not see what was going on. They scrambled together on the floor, using their hands that were placed behind them to navigate to the opposite wall of where they had been standing. Laurel let out a minor scream, piercing through the dust and clearing it completely. John and Alex slowly picked themselves back up. He raised and aimed his gun at her, Alex saw and reacted by doing the same thing.

"Still working for Cayden, Laurel?" John asked. Alex stared at Laurel, it was the first time they had met and she didn't know what to make of her. Laurel didn't exert any sign that she was threatened, even though they had her 2 to 1. It was perhaps due to the fact that she had faith in her ability.

"You guys are just looking to die, aren't you?" Laurel asked back. John didn't know how to gauge her. Every time they've come into contact, it was never clear where her allegiance was. But right now, it was apparent she was standing in their way.

"If you're not going to tell us anything we want to know, then move aside. We don't have time to deal with you." John said. He saw her eye flick downwards, staring at the ground.

"If it was that easy… then I would've…" Laurel muttered lowly to herself. It was barely audible but Alex managed to pick up what she said. What had that meant? She seemed to be on the opposite side, but those words didn't seem clear. But she didn't have time to think, she saw John make his move. He charged at her, whilst Laurel's eyes were still down. Laurel began to return her gaze and had begun to react to John's movement. He had gotten close, his arms reaching for her. She opened her mouth and tried to let out a scream. But John had made contact first and slammed her into the ground. The cry had flown out and had just missed John, scraping him by the shoulder. He proceed to slam the butt of the gun into her face which knocked her out. Laurel's face turned to the side and laid flat on the floor. John panted, catching his breath from the risk he had just taken. He got up from her body, looking down at her. Alex came in closer.

"Why didn't you just take the shot?" Alex asked. She saw John turned to look at her. It wasn't a matter of why he didn't but rather why he couldn't. If he had missed, Laurel would have retaliated, and who knows what would've happened. In this situation, he minimised the casualties with the most proficiency.

"I- I don't know… but it worked out, right?" John replied. Alex gave him a look but shrugged it off a moment later. Then, in the corner of his eye, he saw another figure walk by. It looked like someone who was short. He tried to go after it but Alex pulled him back with a question.

"What do we do about her?" Alex asked. His mind scrambled, he didn't know what to prioritise, he looked at the door then back at Laurel. He then looked at Alex.

"W-We just leave her, she should be up later." John said. After answering her question, he proceed as quickly as he could towards the door and looked outside. But there was no one in sight, the figure had disappeared. Alex caught up to him, surprised at his sudden movement.

"What's wrong?" Alex asked. John turned to look at her, the sudden realisation on his face at who the figure could've been.

"I-I think I saw William…" John replied. Alex's eyes widened at his answer.

"What?! Where?" Alex asked. She ran out into the hallway and looked around but couldn't see anything.

"He's gone… Damn it… we have to find him, quickly!" John shouted. Alex nodded, agreeing with him. They proceeded to head deeper into the factory.

* * *

Meanwhile, back in the holding room where Oliver was. The two of them had remained silent, listening to various sounds and noises go off in the background. It was painful for Oliver, he had no choice but to take a back seat and the smirk on Dragon's face wasn't helping. Between the chaos stirred from Cayden's actions and the mysterious guise of Dragon, Oliver didn't know what he had to worry about more. Then, out of nowhere, there was a bang on the door. Dragon lifted his head and headed towards the door. He opened it and on the other side was a grunt.

"Mr. Diaz! There was some noise coming from above sir! I think there's an intruder!" The grunt reported in.

"Then go deal with it! You wasted time coming to tell me." Dragon replied.

"I-I thought you wanted to know… I'm sorry, sir! We'll go deal with it." The grunt said, his voice was shaky and his body was trembling. He immediately ran off after finishing his sentence. Dragon walked back, a different expression drawn on his face. There was a slight irritation combined with the usual confidence he wore. He came to a stop in front of Oliver, pulling a chair that was near the wall and began to sit on it.

"Well… things are moving considerably faster than I anticipated. You really do have friends that care for you, don't you, Oliver?" Dragon asked, his eyes fixed on Oliver and Oliver was returning the gesture. Oliver didn't give him an answer, he was already exhausted and felt like it was not worth responding to. "Well, since we've reached this part, I guess I might as well do my part." Oliver saw now that he was more calm. It felt as if Oliver was finally going to learn something.

"Done with the charade then?" Oliver asked. He saw Dragon let out a scoff.

"Yes, it's about time isn't it? I will tell you what you desire so deeply to know… not that'll it do you any good. The first thing, is that whatever your girlfriend is achieving, won't matter a thing. Sure the people of this city will be grateful, throw all the praise they can at her, but when all is said and done, what then? They only do that, because they were saved, but yet they have the audacity to single out the same heroes that helped them. It's quite the hypocrisy, is it not? This city, it never has fully welcomed up to heroes and it never will. The Flash was here and all your other friends too, but yet despite all their efforts they aren't even remembered. All those previous threats that have occured in Star City. The Undertaking, The Mirakuru Soldiers, everything that has happened was because of you. Have you ever considered that if you hadn't ever started this… crusade, perhaps the city would be much different? Like it was before you came back to the city? Perhaps thing would be better off if they were. Heh, that's right… I'm not some madman who's hellbent on blowing up the city, oh no, I'm far from that. What I want, Oliver, is to simply make this city as it was once before. The city that you were hellbent on changing it from. Do you ever think about why they brought in that law? It's cause they fear change. I'm not seeking destruction, I am bringing... a revolution." Dragon said. Oliver was taken aback. He did not know how to process what Dragon had relayed to him. His true objective is to change the city back to how it originally was. The opposite of what Oliver was trying to do.

"But why Star City… why now?" Oliver asked.

"Oh, this hasn't been just recently, Oliver. I have been at this... for a long time. I already have allies within the system, people who answer to me. This city has been in my favour for a while and I simply need to do one final thing." Dragon said.

"What are you on about, what thing?" Oliver asked.

"Haven't figured it out? Let me put it simply then… Your city, well, it's been primed for a takeover. And the only thing in my way… is you." Dragon said. He slowly got up from his chair, staring down at Oliver. He looked back at him, confused with a slight dread to what his next action was going to be. Dragon raised his fist and slammed it into Oliver's face. Oliver's head turned to side from the impact and he immediately spit out blood. He didn't managed to exert a reaction before another fist came into contact. Dragon continued to pummel anyway at Oliver's face.

* * *

(Back to present time)

Kara had finally stopped the last stage of Cayden's plan. She threw the cargo plane into space and had returned towards Star City. As she descended, she heard the roar of cheer coming from the city. It was an overwhelming feeling, one that she had grown to known since she became Supergirl, but even now it was still a lot to take in. She neared the rooftop she was previously and saw Cayden in the same spot. She saw the look on his face, it was empty, there was nothing you manage to spell out, he just looked defeated. As she landed, he didn't say a thing, his head was buried, staring down at the ground.

"It's over… Cayden…" Kara said, her voice was low and she was still recovering from the adrenaline. He didn't have a response, he just stood there for a moment. He then lifted his head and stared at her.

"You've won…, Ms. Danvers…" Cayden said. Kara didn't have much sympathy for the man, as he was trying to nuke an entire city, but yet a side of her couldn't but help feel a little pity. "I threw everything into that plan… and I failed… there's nothing else for me… you can do whatever you want…". He said. He had risked everything to execute his plan and he hadn't intended for anything beyond it.

"I'm sorry… for what happened to your son. And whoever is responsible for him, I promise that they'll face justice. And this city… you're right. There is a darkness in this city, I have to acknowledge that, but… I won't give up on the belief that it can change." Kara said, she saw him let out a slight chuckle.

"Heh… you're naive." Cayden said. But his words didn't seem to affect her. He saw a firmness in her eyes.

"That may be so. But I'd rather die trying, than trying to die." Kara said. With that, she saw him lower his head, as if to ponder those words. They didn't have much time to do so as the door leading to the stairs busted open. The door swinging at high speed. Out poured numerous SCPD officers, spreading themselves out on the building. They aimed their weapon at Cayden and ordered him to surrender. One of them came in and began putting handcuffs on him. Telling him the conditions for his arrest. Then finally, Kara saw a woman appear, and she walked up until she reached Cayden.

"Nice to finally meet you, Supergirl. The name's Agent Watson. I'm with the FBI." Watson said, extending her arm for a handshake. Kara obliged and shook her hand. She turned around and told the officers to take him away.

"Seems you've heard of me, I haven't been around much." Kara said, she remembered the story Oliver told her about how they were keeping an eye on him. The officers proceeded to escort Cayden off the building which left Watson and Kara alone.

"Oh we've been watching you, ever since you showed up last year, with that alien threat. Anyway, I don't know what business you have for being here, but you don't seem like the type to mingle with Oliver Queen." Watson said. Kara narrowed her eyes.

"What that's supposed to mean?" Kara asked.

"It's just an observation. I'd highly suggest you don't keep in contact with him, if you know what's best." Watson said.

"Look, I don't know what your grudge is, with Oliver. But what I know, is that he's not the man you think he is… not anymore." Kara said.

"Hmph. Well… regardless, I must thank you for your actions in protecting this city. I think if there's something we can agree on, is that we have the interest of the people at heart." Watson said.

"You're welcome." Kara said, she turned around and took off into the sky. She had only begun flying when she heard a crackle in her comms.

"Kara! Oh, thank god!" Felicity said.

"Hmm, what's wrong?" Kara asked.

"I-It's Oliver! They found him… b-but… he's…" Felicity said but she began to trickle off.

"What is it?" Kara asked again.

"He's dying…" Felicity finally uttered, her voice was low and full of dread. Kara's eyes widen and her heart sank. It was words she didn't want to hear. The sudden urgence emerge from within and without a moment past she responded.

"Send me the location, I'm going!" Kara shouted and began flying. Felicity relayed over Oliver's location. "Hang on, I'm coming Ollie..".

* * *

It had been a while since William had entered the factory. He had wandered off on his own, trying to find any signs that would point him towards his father. He had heard a rumble coming from above and had gone towards that direction. When he arrived, he saw a woman walking into a room. He peered into the room and saw that John and Alex was there as well. Everything had gone by so fast, the woman let off a scream and moments later a man had exited the room. Scurrying off far away. He saw everything play out and the woman getting knocked out. He decided it was best to leave, knowing that they were okay and if they saw him they would no doubt try to get him to leave. So he proceed onwards, on his search.

He had gone deeper, he didn't know where he was, but it was a part of the building he hadn't come across. He had begun to take a few steps when he heard a slight sound. He followed the sound and with each step he took it became louder. It finally became recognizable and realised that it was the sound of someone getting beaten up. He saw a doorway from the direction the sound was coming and began to walk towards it. He treaded carefully, careful not to make any sounds. He reached it and stopped. His heart was beating incredibly fast, he was so nervous. He didn't know what was lying beyond the door, but he was curious to know. Slowly he began his moving head, peering into the room. What he saw, he had not brace himself to see. His body shook, and everything just stopped. It was the sight of Oliver getting punched continuously by another man. William instantly moved both of his hands to cover his mouth. He knew that he didn't want to make any noise. His eyes wide, basking in the horrific sight before him. He so desperately wanted to rush in there and help his dad out but he was so scared. He didn't know what to do, and just continued to watch his father get beaten. Each fist continuously ramming into Oliver's face and body. He began to think to himself, trying to calm himself down. He told himself that it'll be okay, a hero will show up and save the day. Just like they always do. They'll just pop up, just right in front of where he was and save him. They'll show up… they'll show up. But all William could see was Oliver getting beaten. His hands still around his mouth, he continued to watch, each of the punches getting landed on him. Until finally, he saw Oliver's head tilt, on it's side. The look that he had on his face was something that Oliver wouldn't ever say but his eyes were screaming. It was screaming… for help. When William met those eyes, his heart had skipped a beat and before he knew it, he was moving.

"N-No… William… don't…" Oliver mumbled, stuttering from all the pain. He had noticed William had reached the door but had kept quiet so Dragon wouldn't notice. But when William had burst into the room, his fear had come true.

William had moved. His legs had moved on its own and he was running straight into the room. He didn't know why or what had induced it but he was there and he felt a rush of adrenaline. He had no idea for what he was going to do. What was his plan? He noticed the man turned around and had finally noticed his presence. He was taken aback for a bit but it went away when he realised that it was just a kid. William kept a barrage of thought going on inside his head. What was he going to do? What would dad do in this situation? Then he remembered, the knife he picked up from the hideout. He reached for the knife in his pocket, and pulled it out. He kept his thoughts quick and on the spot. In this situation, he's going to underestimate me, so he will use that and strike. Dragon had begun to move but William had pulled the knife and had lunged it towards Dragon. Dragon managed to react and tried to dodge. He had managed to get away, with it scraping his side. William proceed to come closer, with the gap being closed with his lunge. He lifted his leg and kicked Dragon in the crotch. Then used both of his arms to push him on the ground. Dragon landed on his bottom, reaching for his crotch and squirmed for a bit in pain. William scrambled on top of him and took the keys. He ran immediately to Oliver and began to insert the key into the cuffs. His hands shaking and nerves trembling his body.

"Will… w-why… did.." Oliver muttered, his strength had gotten low. He saw William scrambling and trying to get the key into his cuffs.

"I-I-I-I-I-I-I-I…" William said, his voice full of urgency and tears streaming from his face. Until finally the key clicked into place and finally released Oliver from his cuffs. Oliver looked down and saw the look on William's face. He looked back at him and what Oliver heard shook him. "... I couldn't just stand there and watch you die, dad…". It was something he hadn't expected to hear and it struck something inside of him. But he didn't have time to process it before he saw Dragon standing before him. He tried to utter something and moved his body but the pain was too much to bear. Dragon grabbed William and had thrown him to the ground. He looked really irritated.

"I usually don't hit kids… but you struck first, it's your own fault." Dragon said, the throw he had used earlier had already knocked William out and he was lying defenceless on the floor. He raised his fist and had begun to lower it to hit him. But then a shot was fired, the sound of a gun had gone off. Oliver looked towards the door and saw that it was John who was holding a gun. He had fired a shot but it had missed, due to his tremor. But that's all that was needed, Dragon was caught off guard. Oliver knew that this was his only chance, he mustered everything he could and willed himself up. He launched himself towards Dragon and used his head to slam him onto the ground. Oliver dropped to the floor, the pain both from the impact and landing on the ground had amplified the damage. He let out a loud groan.

Alex and John poured into the room, John had gone to William and Alex to Oliver. She crouched next to him and began to try to help him. "Oliver! It's okay! Don't move too much." Alex said, trying to reassure Oliver. Dragon had started to get up, his hand on his stomach. Alex turned towards John. "Go, John! Get William out of here! I've got Oliver!" She shouted. John looked at them and then looked at William who was unconscious. He made up his mind and decided to believe in Alex. He gave a nod and took William out of the room. Alex turned her gaze back to Dragon who was standing before them. He let out a few breaths.

"Heh… well, this is definitely interesting. You know, there's only so much times you can get back up Oliver… Perhaps I ought to finally put you down." Dragon said. Alex rose to her feet and took a stance.

"I don't know who you are, but you're going to have to go through me!" Alex shouted.

"A nobody… and a half dead man. You really think you could beat me with those odds?" Dragon asked.

"You're welcome to try!" Alex shouted and she charged towards Dragon, initiating the fight between the two.

Oliver was still on the ground, his vision had started to get blurry and he was struggling to stay conscious. He lifted his head and tried to look at the situation. He saw that Alex and Dragon had begun fighting. He tried to get up, and slowly had begun to will himself up. Pushing through all the pain, he grunted with all his might.

Alex had missed a punch and Dragon grabbed her arm and used it to swing her body against the wall. Alex used her right leg to hit his arm and he let go, stumbling backwards. Then she saw something that surprised her, Oliver had gotten up. His footing was unstable and he was barely able to stand, blood was pouring from his face and body. He tried to attack Dragon while his back was turn, but he was too slow and Dragon caught him. He squeezed his grip on Oliver's neck and slammed him against the wall.

"You know, I'll give you one thing, Oliver… You don't give up that easily." Dragon said. There wasn't much resistance from Oliver and he had begun to tighten his grip. Alex jumped on his back and pulled him away from Oliver. She rode his back and tried to wrap her body around him, using it to restrain him. Dragon slammed her into the wall and loosened her grip on him. He then grabbed her and threw her onto the floor. Alex came into contact with the floor at full force. She tried to get up but Dragon ran in and kicked her in the face, knocking her out. He turned his attention back towards Oliver who was slouched against the wall. He looked back at him as that was all he could do. He walked over to Oliver and had begun to drag him to the centre of the room. And he went to go pick something and returned. Oliver laid there, unable to do a thing and all he could do was watch everything unfold.

"Funny… the tool that your son brought for your rescue… is the same one that'll kill you." Dragon said, he was holding the knife William was holding. Dragon didn't waste any time and crept down and plunged it into him. Oliver felt the heat, extreme heat, the meeting of the knife hitting deep into his flesh. He began to feel numb and he was barely hanging on to his consciousness. The last thing he could see was Dragon getting up from his body and had walked off.

* * *

Kara was zooming in on the location where Felicity had sent her. She reached it and immediately x-rayed it. She saw two people lying on the floor. She didn't think but proceed to plummet through the building, bursting through each floor, leaving a hole as a trail until she had finally reached the room. What she saw, was to her horror. Oliver laid there on the ground, blood flowing from his body. Her entire body shook, she froze for a few seconds. She powered through it and shook it off and rushed to his side. She had realised Alex was there near Oliver. It wasn't her intention but she completely ignored her. She reached him, and was on her knees. She lifted Oliver's head, resting it on her knees.

"O-Oliver! H-Hey! It's okay... can you hear me?... I'm here! Oliver, I'm here!" Kara shouted, her voice full of sorrow and fear. Tears had begun to flow from her eyes. It wasn't much but she heard the slightest of sounds coming from his mouth. "Please, don't…not like this… it just barely... and I...I haven't told you... yet… so please…" Kara said, her tears dropping onto his face. She almost didn't catch it, but she saw a flicker in his eyelid. She finally heard Alex's voice come through, who had apparently been trying to get her attention.

"Kara… good, you're listening… I managed to stop the bleeding… but he needs medical attention, right now!" Alex shouted. Kara noticed that Alex had pieces of clothing missing from her body. She had probably used them to help Oliver. She grabbed Kara by the shoulder. "You have to go, Kara! Now!" Kara turned and finally acknowledge Alex. She saw that she too had been bruised up.

"Oh, Alex! Oh my god, are you okay?!" Kara asked. She realised how she didn't notice her until now and felt guilty.

"Yeah, I'm fine... just focus on him. John's outside, I'll go meet up with him, you need to go... now!" Alex shouted. Kara didn't want to leave her sister behind but there was no doubt Oliver was dying. She looked at Oliver and began to think to herself. She can't take him to the hospital, there would be too much drama coming from that. Then it came to her, Star Labs. Barry and the others should be able to help. She moved quickly and gently. She placed both of her arms under his body and carefully began to pick him up. His head tilted backwards and his limbs laid downwards like a motionless body. She looked back at her sister one last time before she made her exit. Alex saw her sister go through and had finally left the room. She dropped to the floor and finally let all the pain she was holding out. "Sorry… Kara… but if I didn't do that… you wouldn't have…". She didn't finish her sentence before she lost consciousness.

Kara had flown as fast as she could and eventually arrived in Central City. She landed into Star Labs and her sudden entrance threw everyone off. Their eyes shocked at what they were seeing and processing what was happening. Kara turned to look at Barry. He was stunned just as everyone else was. He finally made out that Kara was holding Oliver in her arms and that this couldn't mean anything well. He saw the look on Kara's face as she stood there, her face looked like it was begging for help. She walked forward.

"Barry… please help…" Kara said, pleading with all her heart.

* * *

It had been an hour since what happened inside the factory where Oliver was held. A man was standing at the doorway, peering into the room. He was dressed in a cloak, the hood covering his head. He stood there as if he was lost in his thoughts. Another person showed up next to him. The man turned his head to face them.

"How'd it go?" the man asked.

"Pretty swell. I got her to Star Labs without anyone noticing. They'll just think that it was probably The Flash or something." the other said, this one was a woman. She saw the man nod his head, acknowledging what she said. He turned back to look into the room. "Oh, this is where it all began... Didn't it, Will?".

"Yes, it was here. The first time, it was here… with Dad." Will said. He put his head down, a smile drawn on his face. "Looking back on it now, there was no doubt what I did, was reckless and suicidal. But… because I did so, it opened the way, for something deep within, to come forth… and shape who I am now." He turned to look at her and she returned with a smile. "Anyways, we need to return. We can't stay here for too long… Lin. We did what we came here to do, to ensure that 'that' person survived, and they did. Now, we leave it up to them..." He turned around and began to walk away. Lin stood there, peering into the room. She too, basked in the thought of the events that happened here, even though she wasn't present for it. She drew a smile at the thought of them and muttered under her breath. "Good luck… you two. See you soon..."

"Hey, Lin! What's wrong?" Will called out. She shook her head to compose herself. She cleared her throat.

"Coming!" Lin answered. She turned around, making her way back and caught up with him.

* * *

(A Day Later…)

A day had passed since Cayden's attack on Star City. Thea and Quentin were holed up at Star City Hall, filling in as Mayor during Oliver's absence. There was a loud rumble coming in through the bottom levels, causing Thea and Quentin to be on high alert. Suddenly the doors flung open and Dragon stood before it. He was accompanied by a number of grunts by his side, each armed with a rifle. They began to storm in.

"W-What the hell is going on here?! Who the hell are you?!" Thea shouted, demanding to know the situation. Quentin tried to attack one of them but they attack him with the butt of the rifle, leaving with him an injury. Thea tried to aid him but the grunts pulled rifles to her face and forced her to stop.

"You know, you've done quite well, in Oliver's absence. But it's high time, you made your leave." Dragon said.

"What?! What are you talking about?" Thea asked, she had no idea what was going on.

"You don't need to know anything, just simply step aside." Dragon said, he gave a signal and the two had begun to be escorted out by the grunts. They tried to resist but the rifles that jammed in their direction prohibited any form of resistance. Dragon walked over to the window and he peered over, looking over Star City. He was standing in the Mayor's office that Oliver once stood in. "Well, this is a nice view. A perfect place for the family." With that ,he let out a chuckle.


	10. Truth and Liberation

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Time has passed since Dragon's takeover on Star City. Kara saved Oliver's life and brought him to Central City, where he was treated. When all is revealed, what will Oliver do?

The Dragon had entered. He had made his way to Star City after leaving Oliver Queen for dead. His infiltration was met with ease as his allies within the system paved the way for him. Those that tried to resist were taken down. He ascended City Hall, all the way to the mayor's office and forcibly removed Thea from her position. The first stage of his takeover was complete and he had more to do. But before he could do anything else, he had one final thing he had to do. Dragon made his way to the SCPD, in order to see a person that was being held there. The police captain who was under his payroll cleared him for access and Dragon proceeded to meet the person. He reached the door and had opened it. Cayden James was sitting inside, handcuffed. Dragon turned to look at the camera and waited for it to turn off. Once it did, he entered the room.

"Hmm… Mr. Diaz?" Cayden asked inquisitively, he was surprised at Dragon's appearance before him. Dragon stared back at him.

"Hello there, Cayden..." Dragon said back to him. He proceeded to walk in, closing the door behind. What happened inside, there were no witnesses.

* * *

{2 Days Later…}

After being thrown out of Star City Hall, Thea and Quentin decided to meet up with the remaining members of Team Arrow. They had no idea what was going on, but there was definitely a change within the city. Most of the SCPD became turncoats and aligned themselves under Dragon. Whether it was due to blackmail or bribery, Dragon had accumulated his army. The minor percentage that did not align themselves with Dragon had to go into hiding. In just a few days, Dragon had completely taken over Star City and he had just begun to implement his rule. The members of Team Arrow were still in the foundry, remaining hidden as they watched things unfold.

"How the hell did this even happen?" John asked. He looked around to other people in the room. They were sat at the meeting table.

"I-I don't know… they just came in all of a sudden. Next thing we knew, we were on the streets." Quentin answered.

"And now… they have the SCPD on their side. If it was just Dragon and his men, we could probably have taken him. But the entire police force of Star City? That's just too much…" Thea said. The others looked down, the situation at hand seemed pretty hopeless. The current state of Star City was on a transition, one towards the era before Oliver had first made his appearance. The time, where crime was the most rampant and corrupt individuals were in power. The time, where Oliver's entire crusade was meant to save it from.

"Well… we can't just sit here and let them reign free. We have to do something..." John said.

"How?... Oliver's in a coma and holed up in Central City. And even if Curtis and the others were to join us, we'd still be outnumbered." Felicity said.

"That may be so. But John's right, we can't let them roll us over. If we just gave up without a fight, then I couldn't even begin to forgive myself for letting this city fall." Thea said, her eyes gave a firm look to everyone else. They saw the conviction she had.

"But… didn't you say, you were done with all of this?" Quentin asked.

"Yeah… I did. But knowing that I had the ability to help and didn't even do anything… I would probably hate myself for it… This city is my home. It's all of our homes. Oliver's worked so hard and endured so much more than any of us. We owe it to him, to protect this city, his legacy, with everything we've got!" Thea shouted with tenacity, a fire lit in her eyes. Everyone could feel the depth of her words and it gave them the boost they needed. She rose from her seat and had taken out her phone.

"W-What are you doing?" Felicity asked, puzzled at Thea's sudden action.

"I'm calling for help," Thea answered. She turned her head back to face her phone. She stared at the name that was displayed. Roy Harper.

* * *

(1 week later…)

After being fatally stabbed by Richard Dragon, Oliver was on the verge of death. He had been beaten to almost death and left to bleed out on the floor. It seemed to Oliver that it was the end of the road for him. That was why he was shocked when his eyes began to open. He felt groggy and extremely exhausted. His eyes slowly opening, he was welcomed by the glaring rays of light shining down on him. His eyelids blinking in a reaction to the glare. Just as his eyes had finally opened, he felt a weight pressed against his right hand. It wasn't too heavy, but rather something soft and tender. He also could feel strands of hair on the sides of his hand. He took a glance around the room and noticed that he was in a medical-looking bay. He also noticed a person, a woman resting on his hand. It was a familiar sight, the blonde hair and that attire she was always wearing. He knew it was Kara. He began to draw a smile on his face, basking in the thought that she was by his side. He let out a cough, it wasn't intentional but his body just reacted in that way. The sound of it woke Kara up. She rose her head staring at Oliver, not yet quite making the connection that he was awake. She blinked a few times, trying to be fully awake before she finally realised it. When she did, her eyes and mouth began to widen. She got up from her chair and walked up closer to him. Oliver could see the look on her face. It was a combination of relief and surprise.

"Hey…" Kara said, in a low whisper. Oliver turned his head slowly to look at Kara.

"Hey…" Oliver said back, his voice was also low. Hearing Oliver's voice again made Kara smile.

"You're… You're awake…" Kara said. She was still trying to come to terms with the fact that he was awake.

"Yeah… guess I am…" Oliver said, letting out a chuckle, even though it was slightly painful.

Without any warning, Kara slowly lowered her head down towards him. Low enough, that their faces were close and kissed him on the forehead. He could feel her lips touch. It gave Oliver a feeling of warmth. It was so calm and relaxing. As if for that moment he was weightless and nothing was in that room beside the two of them. The nurturing sensation that definitely couldn't be replaced. It was definitely better than the groggy feeling he was experiencing just now. Kara raised her head back, looking at him with a smile. She then turned around and hurried outside. It was sudden but Oliver thought perhaps she was calling the others. He looked down at his body and noticed he was dressed in a gown. He remembered the spot Dragon had stabbed him in and had moved his hand to touch the area. He felt a slight sting as his hands barely touched it. Before he could begin to think about it, people started to flood into the room. He recognised them as they entered. Caitlin, Cisco, and Barry. As they saw Oliver on the bed, he saw the same expression Kara had showcased him earlier. They looked happy, seeing him finally awake.

"Whoa… he is up…" Cisco said with a surprise. Caitlin proceeded to move towards Oliver and began to examine him. Barry also came in closer.

"Hey, man," Barry said, giving him a nod. Oliver returned the gesture back to Barry.

The examination took several moments, Oliver had to do numerous tests and eventually it was all done.

"Well, we have to process and examine the samples you gave us, but everything seems to be fine. You shouldn't try to move too much though, you just did wake up from a coma." Caitlin said, adding in a light-hearted tone to ease Oliver. She then turned around and took the samples with her for testing. Cisco also went after her. It was just Barry and Oliver in the room. Barry had his hands dug into his pockets and moved closer to Oliver.

"How are you feeling man?" Barry asked. He had sat down on the chair next to his bedside. Oliver was up, sitting on the side of the bed.

"I feel fine… well, a little tired." Oliver answered, he appreciated Barry's concern. Barry nodded his head after hearing Oliver's answer.

"Do you remember what happened?" Barry asked. Oliver pondered in his thoughts for a moment, trying to recollect his memories.

"All I can remember is lying on the floor, bleeding out, as Dragon walked off…, and someone's voice, calling out to me… next thing I know, I'm here." Oliver answered, trying his best to remember as much as he can.

"Well, that matches up. As for how you got here, you've got Kara to thank for that. She was the one who brought you here." Barry said. He saw that Oliver had a slight surprise look on his face.

"Kara…? She did…? Heh..." Oliver said in a low whisper, dropping his head with a smile drawn on his face, revelling in the thought of Kara coming to his aid. If that was also the case then it was alright to assume that the voice he had heard, must've been hers as well. He lifted his head back up. "W...Where is she anyway?" Oliver asked, looking around the room. He had noticed she wasn't present.

"Oh, she went out for a bit. Said she wanted to get something and that'll she back soon." Barry answered.

"Oh, I see," Oliver said, he was a bit disappointed that he couldn't see her. He had begun to notice Barry staring at him with narrow eyes as if he was gauging him. "... What?" Oliver asked, it was getting slightly uncomfortable.

"Hmm, I don't know… , it's just a bit odd to me. The way Kara showed up with you and the expression she had. Something… something just feels… different." Barry said, voicing out his thoughts to Oliver. Oliver kept quiet, he didn't know what to say and Barry noticed. "C'mon Oliver, talk to me." Oliver could see that Barry was really digging in. He didn't have to tell Barry, but when it came to stuff like this. He did find comfort in confiding in Barry, it was probably because they were in similar positions. He let out a sigh.

"I… I don't know what it is, that's going on between us, but I think there's something there. I know at least… that recently, I've developed a fondness for her… as of late." Oliver said, his voice was low. Barry was a little bit surprised but yet not also as well.

"What about Kara? Does she feel the same?"'Barry asked. Oliver lowered his eyes for a moment.

"I don't know… , but we did kiss, and she didn't seem resistant to it." Oliver answered, a little smudge of a smile tried to break through.

"Whoa… Nice!" Barry exclaimed. It was Barry's natural reaction, he couldn't help it, but Oliver gave him a look and Barry cleared his throat. "I mean, that's nice." This time it sounded more pleasant. He waited a bit before he continued. "You know, I'll be honest here. I never imagined that you two would ever be like this. But with the little glimpses that I've seen. Like the hug after Stein's funeral, how excited she seemed when she told me she was going to be in Star City and how she brought you here. With knowing all of that, I can definitely say, your dynamic… it's changed. And to be frank, I kinda like it. It's nice to see two of my closest friends together." Barry said, he offered Oliver one of his sincere smiles. He saw his words lighten up Oliver a bit.

"Thank you… Barry." Oliver said, the words struck something within him. When it came to this stuff, Barry always knew what to say. Oliver was about to continue when he saw someone standing near the door. It was Kara, she was holding 2 cones of ice-cream, each in one hand. Barry noticed Oliver staring at the doorway and turned his head around to look as well. When he realised it was Kara he jumped from the chair and began walking towards her direction.

"Oh, sorry Barry, I didn't realise you were here. If I did I would've gotten you one as well." Kara said, as Barry walked towards her.

"Oh, it's fine! I'm actually on a diet anyway… hehe!" Barry exclaimed, one arm held behind his head, saying this as he walked past her and out of the room.

"What…? But you're not—," Kara said, but Barry was long gone so she cut herself off.

She turned around and saw Oliver looking at her. She dropped her head a bit and began walking towards him. As she reached him, she held out her hand and offered one of the cones to Oliver.

"I got you some ice cream. I know Caitlin said you shouldn't eat anything yet, but you looked hungry so I thought maybe this could do in the meantime." Kara said. Oliver was taken aback, she was genuinely concerned about him which gave him a strange feeling. He reached out and accepted it from her.

"Thank you… but what brought this on?" Oliver asked. She moved to sit next to him on the bed.

"Well, I kinda liked it when we got ice cream that one time. It was nice." Kara said, her head looking down at the ground as she was licking on her ice cream.

"What…? That was like weeks ago. You still remember that?" Oliver asked.

"Yeah, I do. I know you wanted it to be some small gesture… but it meant a lot to me. I quite enjoy just hanging out and eating ice cream… together." Kara said, her voice getting shyer. That last word stayed with Oliver for a while. He started to lick away on his ice cream as well. He lamented in the fact that she even remembered this little gesture he did for her. It was simply his way of showing thanks. But it's grown beyond that, to something they shared and one Kara held deeply with her. Once they had finished, Kara took the rubbish and threw it in the bin. "We should do this more often," Kara said, as she walked back towards Oliver.

"Yeah, it'd be good," Oliver said, he saw her return to her position. As she sat down, she looked at him. He had remembered what Barry told him. "I… I want to thank you, Kara. For saving me. I would have died, if not for you." He looked at her, his voice full of gratitude.

"You don't have to thank me, Oliver. I would've done it, even if you didn't ask me to. I'm just glad you're still here." Kara said. Oliver dropped his head, he wasn't used to being the one who was saved. It had occurred to him before, but he was always adamant about being the savior. Being on the opposite side was a bit strange, but in a way, it was also a pleasant feeling.

Kara had been holding back on asking Oliver what happened between him and Dragon. There was all the adrenaline from trying to save him and everything else that she completely had overlooked why it happened. After she had brought Oliver here, a few moments later, Alex had shown at Star Labs as well. No one knew how she got there, it was a complete mystery, but at the very least Kara was thankful that her sister was safe. A few days later, Alex returned back to Earth-38 to complete her recovery and considering she did help out with finding Oliver, she deserved some rest. In the downtime in waiting for Oliver's recovery, Kara jumped between worlds. She would help out at the D.E.O and then when she was done for the day, she would come and check up on Oliver. After waiting for so long, she wanted to ask him.

"What happened… back there, with Dragon?" Kara asked, lifting her head up and looking at Oliver. The topic at hand changed the expression on Oliver's face. She knew it wasn't going to be pleasant but it felt like something that needed to be addressed. After a few moments, Oliver who was lost in his thoughts finally put his head up and answered her.

"Dragon… he uh...he explained to me, what he was planning… and why." Oliver said, his voice was low and raspy. "He said that the current state of Star City… how it is… was an attribute to how the city feels and what it truly wanted." Oliver said.

"But… you honestly can't think what he means is true, right?" Kara asked.

"Can I? There is no doubt, there is some truth in what he said." Oliver said. Kara looked at with a surprised expression. But he continued. "Look at Central City… only a few years with The Flash being in it and they already have accepted him as their hero. I've been at this longer, and yet there's no definitive answer. It's not that I've given up… but seeing such a resistance to the notion of heroes...I can't help but wonder, was this worth fighting for?" Oliver said, voicing out his deep thoughts out to Kara. It was a lot to have been said, and Kara could see that this was something he had been thinking about for a while.

"You know… when I confronted Cayden, he gave me a speech. Mostly it was about his son and along some lines, it was similar to what Dragon told you. But what I took from him, is that there is always going to be darkness in the world. Having been here for a while, I've come to know that this is what's possible for any place, not just Star City. We have to acknowledge that this concept exists, only then can we begin to believe in change." Kara said, she saw him look at her, taking in everything she was relaying to him.

"You... really believe that?" Oliver asked.

"Yes. Because that's all I can do. I've never done things your way, so I probably wouldn't understand. But you have tried. Maybe… you should try doing things my way. Fight… with hope. With Dragon forcing his control on Star City, there's going to be those that will be trapped. Star City… it's not going to be the same again. All you can do, Oliver, is set them free. So that they can make their own choice. Deliver Liberation to Star City, once and for all. Prove yourself that you are the hero it needs. You told me that you believe that one day it would come, do you still believe that?" Kara asked. Oliver pondered Kara's message in her mind. What she said, it was true. There could only be two ways Star City can be, either under Dragon's rule or set free to choose its path. Her last question probably referred to when he told her that he believes that Star City could change. She asked him if he still did, and with consideration of recent events, he had been conflicted. But hearing Kara, right here, it reaffirmed his position on the matter.

"Heh… yeah, I do. It's what I said, and I'll stand by it." Oliver said, gaining some firmness in his voice. Kara let off a smile, seeing him reach his conclusion. "Thank you, Kara… you've done so much for me… I really don't know how to express it more." Kara dropped her head at his words. She never really considered why she was going out of her way to help Oliver. But then again, she probably knew why.

"Just… promise me… you won't die, again…" Kara said softly, Oliver was surprised at her response to his thanks. "I… I don't know if I could go through all of that again," Kara said, her voice was low and it was filled with sorrow. It was then, Oliver realised, he hadn't been thinking about how Kara felt. He was so absorbed into the issue with Star City, he had overlooked what she was probably feeling. The sudden realisation of this gave him a gut-wrenching feeling and a sense of guilt.

"Are you alright..?" Oliver asked, he could see Kara look at him and saw that he had taken notice. She lowered her head, she wanted to tell him, it was all good and that it was nothing to worry about. But she couldn't do it, she just wanted to tell him how she felt.

"To be honest Oliver? No… not really." Kara answered, her voice was soft and she started to feel slightly nervous. She saw the look on his face, he gave a look of concern. She didn't know what to say, but then she realised that this was probably going to be the moment. She was conflicted about whether or not to do it. She considered everything and realised that last time she nearly wasn't able to. Remembering that, it pushed her, if she had something to say to him, it needed to be said now.

"You remember what I said, about why I came to Star City?" Kara asked. Oliver who had been waiting for her to answer, was staring at her.

"Yeah, you said it was because you wanted to see Star City and for a friend." Oliver answered. Kara nodded slightly, a little pleased to see he remembered. She let out a little scoff as that wasn't the whole reason.

"Yeah… but that wasn't entirely true." Kara said. Oliver looked at her with a slight confusion on his face. What was going to come next from Kara's mouth, it was going to change everything. Her heart started to beat fast at the thought of it. She took a gulp and continued. "I came here because I've been feeling something. A feeling that came to be because of what happened at Barry and Iris's wedding. And ever since then… I wanted… I wanted to see if it was worth pursuing…" Kara said. Oliver's expression slowly started to change, he had begun to realise the direction it was heading. "This feeling… it's about you, Oliver." She said it. Her heart skipped a beat and her eyes were locked onto Oliver's. His eyes shifted down slightly, it was as he had thought. He hadn't expected it to be now, but he could see that Kara was pouring her heart out. Finally hearing those words, it gave Oliver an overwhelming feeling of joy inside.

"I… I've been feeling the same way too. I think with everything we've seen and these last couple of weeks being with you… I've grown a fondness for you, Kara. And… I want to see it… if it's possible for us… don't you?" Oliver asked, he saw the expression on Kara's face. It was a mixture of relief and surprise. Hearing Oliver say that eased her state of nervousness and she was welcomed by an intense emotional feeling of tenderness.

"Yeah… I want to see it too… Ollie…" Kara said, her voice was low but it was filled with happiness and love. They looked at each other, staring into each other's eyes, smiling at one another. With each of them finally confessing their emotions, a new shade had been drawn on the other person. Knowing how the other felt was a load off their chest and it gave them a definitive assurance of their dynamic.

"You know… we never did get to that talk, did we?" Oliver asked, his voice had shifted to a slightly mischievous and teasing tone. Kara picked up on the change and adjusted accordingly. She leaned in closer, towards Oliver.

"No… we didn't…" Kara said in a whisper, her gaze locked on to Oliver. She was close that her whisper was normal enough to hear. He could feel her breath, laying on to his face. It was alluring and they stood there for a moment basking in each other's stare. Their heartbeats started to pick up, it was quite the rush, the situation they were currently in. Everything that had been built up, they could feel it surfacing, and the longer they stare, the more it was unbearable to hold in. Oliver made the move, he leaned in with his eyes closed and kissed her. She closed hers as well as it came in. She put her arms over his shoulder, coming to meet on his back. Their lips were interlocked and Oliver started moving backwards. Kara followed his move and began to lean downwards onto him. They laid together on the bed, Kara on top, and Oliver on the bottom. The heat of the moment was overwhelming and everything was rushing so fast. They proceeded to kiss one another passionately and with such tenderness. They continued on, to where they had never been before. Their clothes laid bare on the ground, and what had happened remained between the two.

* * *

Some time had passed. Barry and the others were in the cortex of Star Labs. They had received a call from Star City and had been conversing with them. Oliver and Kara entered the room with their arms linked with one another. They walked together, a smile on their faces and completely oblivious to their surroundings. Barry had noticed them walked in and called for them.

"Hey, guys! Sorry to interrupt, but there's something urgent here, you've gotta see this." Barry said to them. They broke apart and composed themselves, hurrying off to join the others. Oliver came to the main station where the computers were and on the screen, he could see Thea displayed in a video call. He saw the shocked look on Thea's face as he got into the frame.

"Oh my god...! Ollie! You're okay! How are you feeling?" Thea asked, her concern could be heard through her voice. Oliver wasn't expecting this when he entered the room.

"Speedy, hey… I'm sorry you had to worry about me. But I'm feeling good now." Oliver answered, trying to assure his sister.

"Yeah, I'll bet…" Cisco remarked, he tried to say it to himself, but Oliver heard him and gave him a look. Cisco jumped and tried to hide his face. Oliver knew it was a joke but it always felt nice to intimidate.

"What's up, Speedy?" Oliver asked, clearing his throat.

"It's… chaos out here, Ollie. Dragon... he's taken over and spreading his dominance over the city. Most of the SCPD force have changed sides and are now turncoats. They're under his command. We… we've been fighting for several days… but no matter how much we try, it doesn't seem like we're doing anything." Thea said. Oliver could see that she had to be carrying quite the burden on her. Learning the state of his city was heart crushing. He hadn't known things were this dire. He then saw another figure pop in, next to Thea. It was Roy.

"Oliver! Hey. Good to see you back on your feet, man." Roy said. It was a surprise to see Roy and Oliver didn't expect it. But nonetheless, he was still glad to see him.

"You too, thanks for being there, Roy. Really." Oliver said.

"No problem, this city is always my home. When I heard what happened, I couldn't just watch it go like that, so I came back and I'm here to save it." Roy said. Oliver gave him a nod and a heartfelt thanks for his contribution. Kara walked up next to Oliver.

"Hey, did you say that the entire SCPD are with Dragon now?" Kara asked. Oliver turned to look Kara standing next to him then back to the screen.

"Well, mostly. The ones that didn't, have joined up with us… the Resistance. Me and Roy are leading them." Thea answered. It was a surprise for Oliver to hear that there was a resistance, even more so that they were the leaders. So much had happened while he was gone, and he couldn't help feeling guilty for leaving them behind for so long. But learning that they were holding on, it gave him a sense of pride.

"So, the resistance versus Dragon's…. Army. There's essentially a war happening right now in Star City." Cisco added in, Oliver had forgotten there were others in the room as well. And again, Cisco had gone on and did his naming thing.

"Look, we can't talk for too long, Ollie. We just wanted to let you know what was going on, and that… we need you. So we can end this." Thea said.

"No offence, Thea. But I'm not sure with just Oliver, is going to change anything…" Barry said. Oliver was afraid to admit it, but it was true. Against the SCPD force, Oliver couldn't do it alone.

"Well, he's got me." Kara inputted. Everyone turned their attention to her.

"You… sure about this, Kara?" Oliver asked.

"Yeah. I am. Things are different now. We said we were going to see this through, right?" Kara asked back. Oliver lowered his head a bit. "I know, I haven't been in Star City for that long. But even so… I can't refuse to save someone, especially when it's right there." Kara said, looking straight at Oliver. He couldn't believe that she was willing to help. To have someone like her, by his side. It was no doubt, her assistance would add a tremendous advantage. She turned to look at Barry. "What about you, Barry?". Barry didn't respond, instead, he stared at the two for a while, as if lost in his thoughts. After a while, he seemed to have reached a conclusion.

"Heh… I think I'll leave this one up to you guys. I mean, Kara is more than enough, but also…" Barry said, he had trickled off. Oliver and Kara looked at him, waiting to see if he would continue. "... this is your story, why don't you see it through?" The phrasing of that made it apparent to Oliver and Kara that everyone was aware of them. It was quite a strange feeling, coming to grips with it, but the fact that everyone was so positive, made it easier.

"That's great!" Roy exclaimed through the monitor. He turned to look at Thea. "Maybe after all of this, we could-" he had begun but Thea cut him off.

"Not now, Roy. We'll talk about that later…" Thea whispered, trying to keep it just to Roy but everyone else heard. She felt a slight embarrassment but composed herself. "Anyways, we'll be waiting for you," Thea said, and after they exchanged nods, she signed off. Before anyone could move away, Cisco wanted to add something.

"So… what should we call this… um… I dunno… league we got here?" Cisco asked. Everyone looked at him with confusion.

"W-Why is this important Cisco?" Oliver asked.

"Well… after hearing those cool names… Resistance...Dragon's Army. I feel like we should have one too." Cisco said.

"But... it's just me and Kara that's going, isn't it?" Oliver asked.

"Yeah, but I mean in general. Hmmm…." Cisco said, trickling off. He was deep into his thoughts, trying to come up with a name. "How… about... Defender's Army?" he asked. No one was trying to fight him, they just went with it. "The DA! Eh… I think it'll be an okay placeholder until we figure out a better name." Cisco said. Everyone just shrugged and moved on

There was no time to waste, Oliver and Kara had tried to get ready but Cisco went up to them. Oliver told Kara to go on and she did so. Oliver turned his gaze back to Cisco who seemed to be holding some things in his hand.

"Hey, Oliver… sorry to bring this up now, but I wanted to give you some stuff." Cisco said. Oliver looked at him expectantly and Cisco took it as a sign to continue. He held out one hand, a small device in his palm. Oliver took it into his own, it seemed familiar. "That's an extrapolator. Seeing how you guys are… together now. I figured this would help out the relationship." Cisco said, adding in a wink as a bonus.

"Oh, thank you, Cisco. I appreciate it." Oliver said, giving him a small smile. Cisco extended his other arm with another thing he was holding. It was an arrow, with something peculiar on the tip. Oliver took it and held it in his hand. "W-What is this?" he asked.

"That… that's a new prototype I've been working on… You see after those Nazis crashed the wedding. I remembered our little team up we did. This arrow here… it has a small portion of my powers in it. When you fire it, it'll open up a breach to where the tip is, and you can hop in and get to that location… in an instant." Cisco explained. Oliver was a bit confused but remembered how Cisco had opened a breach for him, so he could get to the upper floor and fight his doppelganger. Oliver was impressed, this could be a new trick arrow he could add. "I call it… the Vibe Arrow." It was an odd name, Oliver thought. But it was simple, so he didn't mind. He then handed him a ring. "It's not what you think… it's to act as the receptor for the tip. Since I can't be there, you'll need that." Oliver gave him a nod and thanked him again for the items he gave.

After he was done with Cisco, Kara came back towards him. She was looking at him with expecting eyes. Oliver was confused to as why she had the look.

"...What?" Oliver asked, after being stared by her for some time. Kara let out a light-hearted sigh.

"Aren't you going to say it?" Kara asked back. Oliver wondered to himself what exactly she had meant. Considering the situation they were in and what they were going to do. He realised, it could only be one thing she was referring to. He let out a light-hearted scoff.

"Suit up," Oliver said, which was followed by a smile. Kara lit up from what he said and they proceeded to change into their suits.

Oliver had gone off to suit up in his Green Arrow suit. When he was done, he walked back into the cortex and saw Kara standing there, already in her Supergirl suit. When Oliver entered the room, she turned to look at him, a smile drawn on her face. He couldn't help but return the gesture to her. He walked up to her. He had assumed things were nearly ready to go, but Kara grabbed onto his arm.

"Oliver… I've been thinking, perhaps we're going to need some help." Kara said. Oliver had a confused look. "I know I would be a big asset, but… if we're going to do this, the people need to fight too." Oliver was surprised at her train of thought but understood where she was going at.

"Heh… when did you become so political?" Oliver asked, it was light-hearted.

"Guess you rubbed off on me. I learned a few things, heh!" Kara said, with a cheeky expression when Oliver noticed. "But what I also mean is… we should talk… to Agent Watson." Oliver's eyes widen, he hadn't expected her name to pop up. But knowing Kara, she had to have a reason for doing so.

"I see what you mean, Kara. Having Watson and her team would aid us greatly. Also, it would build better relations with the FBI as well. But... we don't see exactly see eye to eye." Oliver said.

"Yeah… I could see that. But she told me she had the people's interest at heart. If we could perhaps persuade her, maybe this could all go in the right direction." Kara said, explaining her reason. She did provide a good point, Oliver was open to anyone offering assistance. But what would happen if they did, what would Watson do? He didn't know if he could trust her. As if Kara had known, what he was thinking. "Ollie… do you trust me?" The timing had been so perfect. It was the same back then when they were defusing the bomb. Back then, she trusted him and now it was his turn.

"Yes, I do," Oliver answered. Even if he couldn't trust Watson, he would trust in Kara's judgment. She seemed to know when there was any good in people. Kara was delighted to hear Oliver's response. This feeling she felt, it must've been how he felt when she told him the same thing. After a few moments, they walked outside of Star Labs and begun to say goodbyes to Team Flash. When they did so, Kara took Oliver and together they flew.

* * *

On the outskirts of Star City, Agent Watson was on a rooftop after being contacted. She agreed to meet the two individuals coming her way. She waited there for a few moments until she saw them arrive. She didn't believe it but actually seeing them together, she had no choice but to.

"Well, seems you are alive after all… Green Arrow. Oh and nice to see you too, Supergirl." Watson said.

"You know why we came here. We have a proposition for you." Kara said, she wasn't the one Watson expected to speak up.

"Is that right? I could imagine what it relates to…" Watson said, keeping her gaze on the Green Arrow.

"Yes… well, I'd like offer that we work together in order to take back Star City." Kara said. Watson shifted her eyes between the two.

"Hmph. Your city has fallen… and I have to work hard to clean up this mess. You really think we're going to cooperate with criminals?" Watson asked.

"Agent, I think you need to see that we're not your enemy here. Me and him, we've been working hard to save this city too. You saw me literally save this city. Can you honestly tell me that what I've done is criminal?" Kara asked. She saw Watson contemplate to herself. Kara continued. "in our last encounter. You made it clear, that we had the people's interest at heart. That's what you told me. So you know, what it is we do. I'm not asking you to work with a criminal, I'm asking you to help someone who's home is in Star City. Let him prove that he is worth being a hero, not a vigilante." Kara said, Oliver looked at her and wondered who was she referring to. The most sense would probably be him. Oliver didn't want to just say nothing. He realised the stakes that were at hand and he desperately wanted to get her help. He walked closer and pulled back his hood, revealing his face to Watson. Watson was taken aback with a slightly surprised look on her face.

"Wow… You actually went and did that. You're serious about this, aren't you Oliver?" Watson asked. The cards had been played. There was no taking back what he just did. "Hmph… well without any witnesses, I couldn't even prove it was you, even if I wanted to. I see your points. You're really lucky you have her, Oliver." Watson said. It was true, he did. This whole thing went smoothly because of Kara. She had a way with people, in a way he never could. People when they see her, they just want to help her. She let out a sigh. "Alright… here's the deal. I will agree to this cooperation. If we succeed I may consider, dropping my case on you. Only if, we succeed. If we don't, then that speaks for itself." Oliver was surprised that she agreed. He didn't know what to say. "I may have had a grudge on you, but if we can take back this city, then perhaps it'll prove that I was wrong about you." Oliver knew that Watson had swallowed her pride to say that. It would take a lot for her to do that and so, Oliver was grateful.

"Thank you… Agent Watson." Oliver said. She extended out her arm, Oliver grabbed it and shook it. After doing so, they parted ways. Oliver turned to look at Kara.

"Hey… thanks, Kara. This all went smoothly, because of you." Oliver said. He noticed her smile.

"No problem, Ollie. The more the merrier, right?" Kara said. Oliver let out a chuckle in response. He still couldn't believe it, that she was with him. It was a tremendous feeling. He looked forward, towards the sky. "Alright! Now let's go save, Star City!"


	11. Advent of Light and Dark

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The Resistance holds down the fight in Star City. Thea is greeted by two mysterious strangers and emotions are high as the final act approaches.

In the week that passed after Dragon's takeover of Star City, there was a definite shift in the way of life. As Dragon began to spread his reach throughout the city, the civilians were forced to make decisions that most thought they would never make. The reasoning the people had weren't as simple as good versus bad. Those that aligned themselves with Dragon had their own reasoning as well as those who refused. The ones that did, were most likely either willing or did it for the safety of their families. In any case, they were given arms and increased the numbers of the army Dragon had been building. Thea and the rest of Team Arrow reached out to those who hadn't joined Dragon's Army, seeking the aid of those willing to fight with them. It wasn't a simple task, but their persistence allowed them to accumulate a little group for themselves as well.

* * *

It had been three hours since Thea had finished communicating with her brother, who was in Central City. With the way things were, they couldn't afford to wait around and continued their fight. Thea and Roy had infiltrated a warehouse located on the North side of the city, one of the recruits was on reconnaissance and passed on the intel that there were captives held there by Dragon's forces. They were swift and efficient, taking out the first round of henchmen that guarded the entrance with ease. As the last one fell down, Thea looked at his body. She could see the face of a man who didn't belong there, he looked like any regular guy, but as a result of the circumstances, they had crossed paths.

"Nothing's changed…" Thea muttered under her breath, her focus still locked on to the man. "For six years… nothing's changed." Her mind had wondered, reflecting on all the years and the effort Oliver had put into his fight. For so long he has fought, and despite the numerous good he had achieved, there still remained this darkness of Star City. Why? Why was it so difficult to overcome? Her train of thought came to a stop as she saw a figure stop in front of her. It was Roy.

"Hey, you okay?" Roy asked with a concerned look on his face. Thea realising his presence shifted her attention towards him.

"Yeah… it's nothing." Thea replied. It was something worth mentioning, but they were in the field and she knew that she had to refocus. Roy stared at her for a bit before continuing on.

"Okay, well, the targets are up ahead. Let's move." Roy said. Thea acknowledged by giving him a nod and they proceeded further within.

* * *

At the far side of the warehouse, a group of armed henchmen had surrounded themselves with three of their captives. It was a small family consisting of a man, a woman, and their child. They had been bound to chairs. A man from amongst the armed men stepped forward. He was a larger man, heavily built and brawny, his arms were as big as a human's head. He was referred to as Andrei.

"You know things didn't have to be like this. But you really are pushing your limits here." Andrei started, the three captives turned their heads to look at him. They were incredibly terrified.

"I… I told you...we will have the money by next week, so please don't hurt my family…" the man answered, his voice was quivering and full of nervousness. Andrei focused his gaze on the man and stared at him with piercing eyes.

"Oh, that's just not gonna do it. You wouldn't want Mr. Diaz to come here personally, do you?" Andrei asked, leaning down towards the man. The mention of Diaz caused the man's eyes to widened.

"B-B-But I… I really don't have the money to pay for protection… sir." the man replied, his voice was fueled by even more terror. His wife had leaned in and held tighter on his arm. Andrei raised himself back up.

"Then… I guess that means you are no longer needed then." Andrei said. The man lifted his head in haste, a slight glimpse of hope on his face. Andrei threw a punch, it was fast and hit the man in the stomach. The force set him off and toppled him to land on the ground. The woman and child cried and scrambled towards the man. "If we no longer need you, then you're just as good as dead." He had readied his next move but had gotten interrupted by one of his men.

"Boss! The lights have gone offline and we've had a report of bodies found by the entrance!" the grunt reported. Andrei turned to face him, with an irritated look on his face.

"What?!" Andrei asked, his voice had complimented his look. He turned to face outwards to the main area and could see the lights that lit up the warehouse going out one by one until only the room they were standing in was left. "The lights are dropping…?" Andrei muttered to himself. As the words had come out of his mouth, the light in the room went off, leaving the room enclosed in darkness. Before he was able to continue his thoughts, an explosive had gone off from above them. He looked upwards to where it had come from. The vents were in that direction and smoke had come from a hole blown by the explosive. Two shadows had emerged and made their descent into the area. During their fall, two arrows had flown out and hit two of the armed men. They landed in front of the three captives. Andrei managed to sneak in their appearances before a flashbang arrow had fired, disrupting their view. "It's them…! Those goddamn archers!" he roared in the midst of his frustration.

Thea and Roy made their entrances. Thea fired a flashbang arrow to disrupt the enemy, giving Roy the time he needed to release the captives. They got up and stared at the two figures standing before them, confused at the sudden change of pace.

"Run!" Thea shouted, directing them to leave. They could sense the urgency in her voice and comply by nodding their heads hastily, saying their thanks as they left.

There wasn't much time left as the effects of the flashbang were going to wear off. The two archers proceeded to engage the enemy. Several of the armed who had begun to recover readied their rifles, but the duo got in there with speed and together began to fight them off. Andrei rushed in and grabbed Thea, slamming her against the wall. Roy turned his head with haste, towards Thea's direction. The larger man was overpowering her. He didn't have time to utter a word before he had gotten hit himself. Andrei had Thea by the neck, his grip held her tight like a vice. She moved both of her hands and tried to force it off but it was to no avail. She continued to squirm, using every ounce in her to free herself.

"A lot of my men have died to the likes of you…!" Andrei lashed out. Thea looked at her assailant, his eyes was filled with anger and vengeance. "I'll take good pleasure in avenging their deaths!" He roared, slamming his fist into her abdomen. He released his grip on her and she fell to the floor, landing on her knees as she held her stomach. Andrei used his right leg to push Thea's body back onto the wall. She could feel all his weight channeled into his feet keeping her in place. "The era of heroes… is over!" He lowered his feet from her chest and had shifted to throwing a punch, this time, aimed towards her face. "Fade away… like the rest of the others!" Her eyelids began to lower as the fist came in close. But then she heard it, she heard someone scream. It was the sound of pain and she reopened her eyes, shocked to see it was coming from the man in front of her. She paced her eyes around to locate the source. An arrow, pierced through the palm of his hand. Her face began to replicate the one Andrei had displayed. Complete shock and confusion. Andrei began to turn around, gripping his hand. Thea shifted her eyes towards the room and saw that Roy had been pinned to the ground as well. It seemed it was not him who had shot the arrow. It was then, further to the opposite side, she saw it. Two figures standing there. The darkness had made it hard to tell who they were but it was apparent they were dressed in some kind of cloak. The one on the left had a bow and arrow, whilst the other had nothing. There were not many people she knew that was able to use a bow and arrow, compiled with the fact that Oliver and Kara were on the way, it was only logical to assume it could've been them.

"...O-Oliver…?" Thea mumbled to herself, her voice had gotten weak due to the pain. There was no response, instead, Andrei ordered his men to redirect their aim towards the new arrivals. The archer fired a grappling hook and ascended into the air. The armed grunts followed their movements and began to fire. As if it was anticipated, a canister had been dropped by the archer, towards the direction of the bullets. The bullets pierced, smoke began to leak out and in no moment the room had begun to fill the room.

"A smoke bomb? Well, that means he can't see us too!" a grunt exclaimed. Moments after, arrows had begun to rain from above, striking all of the armed men. The other cloaked figure began to make their move and created an open way of smoke as they rushed towards Andrei. They stopped in front of him, just so he could notice. Andrei began to strike, aiming his arms towards them. He had not expected to feel anything at the end of his swing, but he was more shocked to see that they had not moved from their position.

"W…W-What?! My hand went through?!" Andrei exclaimed, the hint of terror could be heard in his voice. It was the last thing he could utter before being promptly knocked out by the cloaked person. It was surprising, no doubt what Thea had just witnessed. It was only a few seconds, but the mysterious duo had completely subdued the enemies. The smoke eventually cleared and Roy had come in to help Thea, helping her on her feet. The two of them looked towards the two strangers that had just appeared as they neared closer.

"It's been awhile, hasn't it... Aunt Thea? Or I guess for you… this is our first meeting." The one with bow and arrow said. Thea was slightly alarmed when she heard herself being referred to as an aunt. The two began to uncover their hoods and she saw a man and a woman, both of whom she had never met before.

"Aunt…? What are you talking about? I don't have a nephew, well I mean, one as old as you are." Thea said, a confusion present in her tone. Roy was just as clueless as Thea was. The man began to chuckle softly before letting out a sigh.

"Maybe this will help then… My name is William Clayton-Queen." William introduced, his left palm on his chest. "And this is Lin." The woman stared at William with wide eyes, as if she was shocked at his action, before letting out a sigh.

"Er-hem... my name is Linda D. Queen." Linda corrected him.

Thea had heard their names, but it was still puzzling to her at who she was staring at. The man looked to be in his 30s, whilst the woman was probably in her early 20s. Considering what they had claimed, she was their aunt, add to the fact that his name was William, it was completely jarring. How was this possible? The William she knew was only 11, but this man claims to be the same person.

"Hmm… not gonna say what the D. means, Lin?" William asked. Linda turned her head with haste and gave him a stern look. She then let out a cough and composed herself.

"Look, we don't have a lot of time. Believe us or not, at least hear what we have to say." Linda said. Thea returned from her pondering and gave the two the attention they wanted.

"Very well then," Thea said, it was the least she could do considering they did save them.

"We've come from… somewhere different. In order to make sure that the events that occur in 2018, proceed as they do. You could think of us as… observers." Linda began to explain.

"I see… is that why you waited until the last moment to jump in?" Roy asked.

"Yes. We can't interfere unless it's absolutely necessary." Linda answered. The way she spoke and how she had phrased things was certainly strange. She spoke just like a reader would if they were reading a history book. Also, there was a certain resemblance in her way of talking, it was strikingly familiar, Thea had wondered to herself.

"What is so important that yourselves had to come here? It can't be about Dragon, right?" Thea asked. She saw Linda look towards William as if she was seeking something from him with a look. He gave her a nod. She put her head down, pondering to herself it seemed, before looking towards Thea.

"Well, you are partially right. Our concern is not about Richard Dragon, however, it's what he is doing to the city, which is. The year 2018, Star City makes a drastic change, that overthrows everything it once had and laid the foundations that would go on to mark itself as one of the monumental moments of history. Eventually to an era of temporary peace." Linda explained. Thea and Roy were left speechless to what they just heard, these two were without a doubt not people of no value. It was becoming clearer that they held with them, vast amounts of knowledge that have yet to occur. Perhaps they were who they claim to be, but that would suggest something else. That they were not from this time. This thought would have never popped into Thea's mind, but having met people like Barry Allen and Kara Danvers, such feats didn't seem that impossible.

"If what you say is true, then that's good to hear. But you also said that we reached temporary peace? If it's only temporary, then-" Thea said, she had spoken until she got interrupted midway.

"Don't say it isn't worth it," Linda interjected. Her sudden outburst caught Thea off guard. She saw a new look on Linda's face. It was one she knew very well. From that glance, Thea could tell that she must've undergone her own ordeals. "Being able to rest, knowing that you don't have to fear for your life, even it's for a short while. That kind of peace… it's invaluable." Linda's voice was full of sorrow. Thea could see that she was being sincere, and from that point onwards, those words left a mark on Thea very well. "That's why… we have to ensure that everything unfolds as it does. And also one other thing…" Linda had gone on but drifted off, as if she had spoken for longer than she intended.

"What other thing…?" Thea asked, she saw Linda put her head down, to avoid eye contact. Then eventually she raised her head.

"Sorry… I'm afraid I can't say any more." Linda answered. It was a deflection, but Thea figured that maybe she had reasons for doing so. As vague as it was, she did tell them of what is to come. Thea shifted her eyes from Linda's face and began to look at her body. She noticed something, a kind of accessory, pinned to her upper chest area. It was kind of hard to tell, but it resembled much of a bird.

"That thing on your chest is very pretty… what is it?" Thea asked. She saw Linda's eyes widen and she looked down toward what she was being asked about. Then her face began to change and a smile was drawn on her unpinned it and held it in her hand.

"This… this was a brooch, a memento given to me by my mother. She said it was called Flamebird… my father gave it to her to commemorate their first time together. It means a lot to me, and gives me the strength to move forward…" Linda said in a low whisper, her voice full of wistfulness. The name sounded familiar to Thea, but couldn't quite pin it down. Regardless, she saw how much Linda adored that brooch.

"I'm sure, they would be proud of you," Thea said. Linda looked back at her, her eyes intently looking at her. Her lip began to quiver and a slight tear began to form in her eye. With everything that was said, it was much clearer who these two individuals were now. They were without a doubt the children of her brother. Reflecting on it furthermore, she saw the resemblance of them even more now. William had taken on Oliver's mantle and Linda… well, she takes a lot from her mother. The blonde hair and the way she talks, she is the mash-up of both of them.

"Thank you…" Linda said in a broken voice, Thea could see that what she said had struck something within in her. Thea couldn't describe the feeling she felt after seeing them, but after figuring out who they were, a sense of being maternal began to stir inside her. The two men had been quiet for a while but after that exchange, they could not help but join in on the moment. After a moment had passed, Roy looked towards William.

"So… you said something drastic was going to happen? In Star City?" Roy asked, William hadn't expected to be asked a question after Linda had been answering for quite a while.

"Yes, quite soon in fact. The return of the Green Arrow and Supergirl will have a lasting effect on Star City. From where I come from, they have been dubbed as the Advent of Light and Dark." William answered.

"Wow… that's, quite heavy…" Roy said, it was a load to take in, it was as if suddenly everything had been amplified. From their perspective, things up until now had just been solely to retake the city. But hearing these things from the other two, it appeared there was going to be more than just a war with a crime lord. In a way, Dragon was right, he was bringing about a revolution, just not the one he wanted. "Is it okay for you to tell us this? I mean, aren't there rules or stuff like that?" Roy asked. As if he had expected that question, William began to chuckle.

"Yeah, I guess so. I'd rather look at them as more like… guidelines. You should follow them, but you don't have to. In any case, I was the reckless one who wanted to intervene and help you guys. Whatever happens, happens." William said, he gave them quite a reassuring smile. Linda snapped her neck and stared at William.

"Well, it would've helped if you consulted me before just making decisions like that, Will," Linda said, her voice was quite stern. William had a slight fear in his eyes.

"Well... t-that's why you're the responsible one, Lin." Will replied back, his nervous smile compliment his tone.

"Honestly… you take after mother too much." Linda said which was followed by a sigh. After returning from their mini spat, they were welcomed by speechless looks on Thea and Roy's faces. Linda cleared her throat and tried to compose her face. "What Will stated is technically correct, but it would greatly help if you didn't mention our appearance here. Especially Green Arrow and Supergirl." Thea and Roy could see the looks on their faces. They could not help but grant them their plea.

"Okay, you got it," Thea said, giving them a smile to assure them. She saw their faces began to relax after hearing her words. They both returned with a nod.

"Well then, we must bid farewell. It was an honour to meet you, like this." Linda said, the topic had seemed to be shifted.

"Wait, what are you gonna do?" Thea asked, it was an abrupt announcement of their departure.

"We'll be… watching. Don't worry about us. You've got a war to win." Linda said, with that, she put her hood back on and flew out of the warehouse. William began to follow suit and put his on as well. He fired a grappling hook arrow and proceeded after Linda. Thea and Roy were the only ones left. They looked towards one another, both still coming to grips with what they had just encountered.

"Well… that was new." Roy said, trying to ease the tension.

"Yeah… but anyways. We need to regroup with the others." Thea said, Roy gave her a nod, agreeing for the next course of action. With that, the duo proceeded to exit the warehouse.

* * *

Diggle and Felicity were inside the foundry. Felicity was on the computers, using her skills to provide surveillance for their allies. John was being tended to by Curtis. He was implanting a chip into Diggle's arm to cure his tremors. After several moments, the procedure was over.

"Thank you, Curtis. Despite what had gone on between us, you still came through and helped me with my arm." John said. Curtis was cleaning himself up and was putting away his tool.

"It's no problem. It's time like these, that we need to band together, now more than ever. And I hope it's some consolation, I'm sorry for what we did." Curtis said. John let out a light-hearted sigh.

"Apology accepted. And… we did go at it a bit extreme. I'm sorry too." John said. Curtis let out a smile and then extended out his hand.

"Shake on it?" Curtis asked. John nodded with a light-hearted sigh and shook his hand. The elevator sound went off and opened its doors. Thea and Roy came through, walking in towards the centre as everyone turned their attention to them.

"How'd it go?" John asked.

"Pretty swell, we had a slight… hiccup, but other than that, we got the job done." Roy answered. A sigh of relief was shared amongst the others. The two of them went ahead and set down their bows.

"Can't believe, he's forcing civilians to pay him for his protection. How does it that even make sense? Protection from who? The corrupt cops are on his side." Felicity said.

"What's worse, is that he's calling it tax. Just a spiraling cycle that only supports him and his circle." Roy said. That was the situation they were in. In no time at all, Dragon found a way to profit his current standing as the "leader" of Star City.

"They still have Quentin, don't they?" Thea asked. The others didn't respond and Thea took it as the answer.

"They have him holed up in City Hall. He's just the face they're using to get the rules they want in place. I don't know what he was thinking when said he was doing it for Laurel." John said.

"Well… it appears that Diaz needs both of them. As long as both of them aren't harmed, they're not going to do anything that would harm the other. So it's up to us, to change that." Thea said.

"But can we really trust Laurel? After all this, it's hard to pinpoint where she aligns herself." John asked.

"I don't know… what I do know, is that Quentin's been trying hard with her. We'll prioritise on securing Quentin, if it invokes anything from her, then so be it." Thea answered. She gave a solid assessment of the situation, and one they didn't disagree on.

"Okay then," John said. Everyone else nodded in agreement with him.

All of a sudden, the elevator sound went off again and this time two different people came through. It was Rene and Dinah, suited up in their costumes.

"Guys! You've got to check the broadcast, something serious is going on!" Rene shouted. Felicity swiveled in her chair and proceeded to showcase the broadcast on the larger monitor.

"We were patrolling the areas, when we noticed there was a large gathering of Diaz's men mixed with a lot of civilians. It's usually never like this, so we figured we'd report it in." Dinah said. After she had finished, the transmission came into view on the screen and they saw quite a terrifying sight. Thea recognised one of them, it was the large man she had fought in the warehouse. Alongside him was Anatoly. It appeared they were in a centralised area of the city and standing atop a platform. They had with them the police captain, Kimberly Hill. But this time, it appeared she was no longer aligned with Diaz, as she was subdued and on her knees.

"W….What... are they going to perform an execution?!" Thea asked, her voice had gotten angry. She had no idea what was going on, Hill was on Diaz's payroll the last time they had seen her. However, this sight seemed to suggest that was no longer the case anymore.

"You missed the earlier segment… but basically, they're shifting the blame of corrupt cops on to her. From what I could tell, she seems to regret her part in this and now they're using her as a scapegoat." Dinah explained.

"You just keep killing those you no longer have a use for… is that how you are, Diaz?" Thea muttered to herself. She was beginning to feel a rage stir inside her. Seeing such cowardice playing out in front of her, she could not help feel angry. "Everyone, get ready. We're moving out." Thea said, as she began to walk towards her bow. Roy followed suit and proceed to pick his up as well. She turned to look at him, a slight shock on her face.

"What? We're going to kick his butt, right?" Roy asked with a teasing tone. Thea dropped her head and smile drawn on her face. Roy always knew how to make her laugh. She let out a light-hearted sigh and turned around to face everyone else.

"Okay, this is it. Oliver and Kara are on their way, but we can't just wait for them. Right here, and right now, we stand together. There's no knowing what'll happen out there, but we're not coming back until this city belongs to us, once again. Diaz has gone on saying how he wants to create a family, it's time we show him how a true family runs. For Star City!" Thea shouted, putting everything she had into her speech. She could see everyone getting rallied from her words. Then in unison, in response to Thea's last few words.

"FOR STAR CITY!" everyone shouted together.

* * *

At City Hall, the large crowd covered the entire area. All eyes were set on the podium where Police Captain Hill was held by Andrei and Anatoly. It was a sudden event but word got around quickly and thus causing everyone to see what was to unfold.

"People of Star City, it is overwhelming how many of you turned up here today. As we have stated on the announcement, we have investigated into the recent corruption of the SCPD that many of you have reported in as the dutiful citizens you are. It is to our disappointment, that our investigation has lead us to conclude that Kimberly Hill, our very own Police Captain, was the helm that steered this boat into the iceberg." Andrei addressed, his voice raised loud so that it could be heard far and wide. As the civilians heard the address, a murmur began to spark between them. Agreements and disagreements arose, eventually forming into loud protests projected towards the podium. "I can understand your anger. When we came to learn of this ourselves, we could not believe it either. But it is the truth. And that is why… she will be punished… right here, in front of you all." As soon as the words had exited his mouth, the noise from the crowd was immediately quelled. They were shocked to hear what they had just heard. There was no doubt that if she was the perpetrator, she should be punished, but the way it was phrased, left a distasteful feeling amongst the crowd.

"You are sure this is the correct way to do this?" Anatoly whispered towards Andrei. Andrei turned his head unexpectantly to Anatoly. He gave him an inquisitive look.

"I'm sorry, it was as if for a moment there, I could've sworn that was a sign of hesitation. You aren't getting scared now, are you?" Andrei asked, it seemed that to Anatoly that the man didn't share his sentiment on the matter.

"This… it… it's not honourable. In Russia, we settle matters… fairly, not like this." Anatoly said, he started off a bit trembled but picked up firmness as it went along.

"Well, this isn't Russia. If this is proving too much for you, you can leave." Andrei said. Anatoly turned his head away, but Andrei grabbed his arm. "But I'll make sure, Mr. Diaz knows about this." After eyeing him for a while, he eventually let go of Anatoly's arm. Anatoly reached for the area where he was grabbed and tried to brush off the little pain. He looked back towards the crowd and had noticed that they had begun to raise commotion again. It was hard to tell, but it was a conflict between those who demanded her to die whilst others beg against it, insisting that she be tried. He then noticed that Hill had a look on her face as if she wanted to say something.

"At least let her say her final words. You can do at least that, right?" Anatoly asked. Andrei looked at him then towards Hill.

"Hmph, fine," Andrei answered, the reluctance was ever prominent in his response. He began to walk towards handing her a mic. Hill was surprised at what was happening. Everyone had caught on as well and began barraging questions towards. The onslaught was rough, Hill closed her eyes, collected herself and readied herself.

"Yes. I… I played a part in what happened to our city. It had come out of nowhere, I was just promoted and I thought things had just gotten started. Then I was split to choose between my family and Star City. I… I had no idea things would've turned out like this… I thought I was just securing my niece's life, what would've become of Star City it never crossed my mind. But it did happen and now I can't help but ask myself so many questions, just like perhaps most of you are as well. But I think the most prominent question I asked myself… is whether we as a city had done enough so that we could've prevented this. Maybe if we did, perhaps we wouldn't be here out in the streets. Maybe if we did, perhaps there wouldn't have been corruption in the SCPD. Maybe if we did… The Green Arrow would still be here. We pushed him away… along with his allies, all so we could no longer have vigilantes in this city. I may have once been an enforcer of the law, but with my utmost honesty, they have been consistent in protecting this city. He is gone, and still our city has fallen. In light of everything, if perhaps he was around, maybe things wouldn't have gotten as bad as they have. The Green Arrow… was a hero. We just… didn't want to see it…" Hill said, her voice echoed her regret and sorrow. As the city listened to her, each moment became quieter. Every single noise was quelled and all ears were on her. Then when she had finished there was nothing but utter silence. Her speech was long but it also demonstrated an honesty they hadn't received in a long time. The duo of Diaz's men had just stood there, they had to keep the facade of being the "good" guys. But letting Hill speak for long as she did was probably an ill-advised decision. Then all of sudden, a long sound shook the entire city. It was a loud pop noise, created from a sonic boom. Everyone scattered their attention and turned their attention towards the sky, looking for the source.

"Look! Over there, up in the sky!" a man shouted, pointing his finger towards a shadow that was evident in the sky. It was on the move and making it descent towards the city.

"What is that? A bird? A plane?" another man asked loudly.

The shadow came in fast and faster. In no time at all, it hit an open area between the podium and the civilians. The impact created an enormous shockwave, pushing out dust towards all directions of the city. The dust began to envelop the main area and made it difficult to see. Everyone began to cover their eyes but they could not pull away from their desire to see what had just landed. The dust circled around, but slowly and steadily, it began to part way. They were able to make out some parts that became visible. There was some green, blue and red. Then followed a cape and a symbol that was quite recent but recognisable. With the final clearing of dust, they were finally able to make out what it was.

"It...it...it's… THE GREEN ARROW!" a man shouted. His declaration invoked a huge roar of cheer from everyone. "He came… just when Captain Hill said we needed him the most…".

"And next to him, it's the woman that saved us the other day… both of them here… what is this, a miracle?!" a woman exclaimed. There was no doubt their entrance had shifted the entire mood of all the civilians. It had gone from distress and gloom to the kickstarted hopefulness that was propelled by Hill's words.

All eyes were on Oliver and Kara. Their grand entrance took the city by storm and something that they had not expect. It was a strange feeling for Oliver, he had been in similar situations, but there was something different about this time.

"How's it feel?" Kara asked, turning her head slightly to look at Oliver. He did the same as well.

"It's… something else. Hard to describe." Oliver said, a slight smile on his face.

"Yeah, it's empowering, isn't it," Kara said, giving him a smile. Oliver nodded in agreement. He then turned his attention towards the podium where the other three were.

"So you are alive, kapushion." Anatoly said.

"Think it's been obvious, Anatoly. I'm a very hard man to kill." Oliver said. Anatoly let out a scoff, Oliver didn't know whether to take it as light-hearted or not. Their exchange had gone only for so long before the civilians began to raise in commotion.

"Why did you come back?!" a man shouted.

"Can we trust him, the law said we shouldn't…" a woman asked.

"Are you here to help us, or are you one of them?!" a man shouted.

"Yeah! Say something! Is Hill telling the truth? What are you?" a woman shouted.

Several more questions were barraged towards Oliver and Kara. Kara turned to look towards everyone and had begun to open her mouth when she felt a hand pressed onto her shoulder. It was Oliver's, he had begun to walk a few steps and looked at Kara as he passed her. She didn't need to hear words to know that he was saying it was okay and that he got it. After coming to a stop, he took a deep breath.

"The answer to those questions is something I cannot give to you. It's time, for everyone in this city to make their own judgments. A hero, a vigilante or common thugs… Decide what we are to you!" Oliver shouted. That statement on that day, it left a mark on the citizens, one that they remember very well.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is one of the penultimate chapters for this arc. I ran into a writer's block figuring out how to approach this. When I had it in my head it was pretty straight forward, but actually putting it down was much harder. I hope it comes across good, thanks!


	12. Don't You Dare

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> With the return of The Green Arrow and Supergirl, the fight for Star City begins.

The sudden entrance of The Green Arrow and Supergirl in Star City took everyone by storm. There was a mixture of reactions to their arrival, from triumphant cheers to skeptical outcries, Oliver and Kara were the centre of attention. It wasn't until Oliver told them that he could not answer their questions and let the perception of who he was up to the civilians, that they finally quieted down. For so long, Oliver had fought from the shadows and they learned of his activities through various mediums. But now, he was in the forefront, with no more filters between him and the citizens of Star City. With the current situation, will they rather remain as it is or strive for something different. What will they think of him now? Will they remain to view him as a vigilante, a common thug who does whatever he wants or a hero that has fought for them all these years. The choice was up to them.

On a nearby but distant rooftop, William and Linda were perched, looking out towards the city, where all the action was taking place.

"They came… that was most certainly a grand entrance they went for." Linda said, her tone was full of awe and curiosity, William had let out a slight chuckle.

"I never got to see it up close, myself. But yeah… it's pretty badass." William said, a smile on his face before returning to a more serious look. William kept his focus on Andrei who was up on the podium. "But we're not here to spectate... we have to keep on eye on him. He hasn't done anything drastic yet, it's only a matter of time though…" he said. Linda met who William was eyeing down. She gave him a nod. The two kept their distance and continued their watch.

* * *

Oliver made his way towards Kara, who was looking at him.

"You know, I've been meaning to ask. Why did you wait for Hill to do her speech before we jumped in?" Kara asked. Oliver let out a light-hearted sigh.

"Well… I figured we might as well take advantage of the situation. I hadn't account on Hill delivering that speech, but after seeing it, I couldn't help but take it. As harsh as it was, by appearing now after Hill's words, we strengthen their need for us." Oliver explained. Kara could see his train of thought. It was quite a strategic way to approach the situation. Had they simply just showed up, the rallying behind them wouldn't be a strong as it is now. It was something Kara would probably have never done herself, but she was here now and she knew things wouldn't be as simple. She turned around and started making her way towards the podium. She felt like she had to say something too, and she wanted everyone to know how she felt.

"This war has gone on for long enough. The countless fights that have occurred will only lead to a single truth. That there will be nothing gained but senseless casualties from both sides. I implore those who know what I'm saying to please stand down." Kara said, as she walked closer and coming to a stop. "However… if you still have the desire to continue fighting… then redirect that energy towards us. We'll welcome it." Kara said, a stern look in her eye. She was directing her gaze towards the two men on stage.

Andrei had been silent ever since Oliver and Kara had shown up. Their appearance made him draw a terrified look on his face. Anatoly looked towards him, even though he was surprised, he was not as terrified as Andrei was. His confidence from before had suddenly vanished. Why would the appearance of Oliver and Kara instill such fear in Andrei who was known to be a rather ruthless man.

"Well… your move, boys." Kara said, still looking intently towards them. She picked up on Andrei's fear but she showed no attention towards it. She noticed Oliver coming to a stop by her side.

"Anatoly… I know our history has been stained because of my actions. But I ask of you, to please aid me in stopping all of this. You must realise by now what aligning with Diaz has shown you. This senseless fight, it needs to end. We mustn't exploit any more deaths than we have already. Is it not because you live to fight amongst a brotherhood?" Oliver said, his words catching Anatoly's attention. He looked at Oliver, a mixture of emotions running through his body. Anger, shock, and confusion.

"How dare you! Everything was taken from me, all I have is the hatred for the brother that betrayed me!" Anatoly shouted. "Why would you forsake those that you hold dear to you."

"I did as I must, is that not answer enough? You have anger for me, then direct it to me, not the city." Oliver said. He could see Anatoly contemplating hard within himself. "But at the very least, let this end, brother."

"I do not deserve to be called that...Everything I believed in… The Bratva… I lost all of that…" Anatoly said, his voice had gotten lower and resonated his lack of energy.

"Then keep on living… and take it back." Oliver said. Those words came from deep within Oliver. He was projecting his own experience and telling Anatoly that he could do the same. Dragon tried to kill Oliver and took Oliver's city from him. But he was able to live on and now he was back to reclaim it. The same went for Anatoly, even if he was stripped from the Bratva, there was nothing stopping him from trying to reclaim that life back. Anatoly looked at him, the last few words reverberating inside him. After a moment, he raised his head, a different look in his eyes.

Andrei was still paralyzed from his earlier shock. Why? What would cause him to be so shocked for so long. It didn't matter, Anatoly moved, he rushed towards Hill and proceeded to make way towards Oliver. Oliver proceeded to untie Hill from her bounds and after a moment took a few steps back. Andrei finally catching up on his surroundings, looked sternly towards Anatoly.

"What is this?" Andrei asked. Anatoly turned around and looked at Andrei.

"I'm taking back my honour." Anatoly said promptly. An irritated face began to emerge from Andrei.

"The mutt strays… you know, this betrayal will cost you dearly, old man." Andrei said.

"One I gladly pay," Anatoly remarked, a smirk on his face. Andrei laughed at his laugh.

"We shall see then," Andrei said. In a matter of moments after he said that, a large army of armed men had arrived behind Andrei. There were at least hundreds in that area, and they were all armed.

Oliver and Kara were surprised to see such a huge amount of armed grunts. They turned their attention towards the civilians. They were now in the midst of the war zone and were now in danger. Kara looked towards Oliver with haste.

"This doesn't look good, Ollie," Kara said, her face full of concern. Oliver was glad he was able to get through with Anatoly, but now he had to worry about the civilians. Then all of a sudden, he heard a crackle in his comms. He was surprised and had completely forgotten that he had one. After hearing the voice he turned around towards the opposite direction of where Andrei was. Several vans had begun to pull up, each labeled with FBI on it. Armed agents began pouring out of them and began to assemble. Then finally Watson came out, dressed in her own tactical gear. Their arrival brought a sign of relief to Oliver and Kara.

"Ollie… they came!" Kara exclaimed, her joy coming through as the cavalry poured out. Oliver could feel the same relief she was feeling.

"Prioritise the safety of the civilians, and provide support to The Green Arrow and his allies!" Watson shouted, radioing her command towards all of her agents. She looked towards Oliver and Kara who were looking at her. She didn't maintain contact for long before moving on to her next objective.

"This is a message directed towards Ricardo Diaz and his cohorts. We have deployed. We have been observing the current state of the city and have concluded that you have been misgoverning it. We are taking direct action in removing you from your current position. We shall charge you on the charge of brutality and the people will pass judgment. You are hereby to surrender yourselves or we will engage."

* * *

Somewhere else, set far but close to Star City, Dragon and Laurel had been keeping watch on the events occurring. They were in an office and Laurel had begun to stare at Dragon who seemed to have a really irritated face. The broadcast transmission from Watson had reached them as well. Dragon had listened until he furiously closes the screen.

"Goddamn bitch... First Hill and now the freaking FBI... who do they think they are?!" Dragon exclaimed, he had begun to get angry.

"Well, Diaz, it also appears that Oliver is still alive," Laurel said, her arms folded cross. Dragon had been seated in his seat. He looked at her with piercing, angry eyes.

"All of these goddamn nuisances… needs to know when to stay dead." Dragon said, his voice was full of anger.

"He's gonna come for you, you know," Laurel said, seeing Dragon agitated was amusing to her. He got up in a fit of rage, throwing things off his desk as he did so. He began to pace around for a while to calm himself down.

"No. This doesn't change a thing. If he does... I'll kill him. This is my city... I've earned it... they want it that badly, they're welcome to try." Dragon said, his voice transitioned to a loud whisper.

"You really think you can stop all of them? You must think yourself a god or something." Laurel said in a mocking voice. Upon hearing that, Dragon came in quick and pulled a knife to her throat. She could feel the edge of the knife barely touching it.

"Quit the attitude. I hope you know where you stand. Otherwise, who knows what'll happen to your 'precious' item." Dragon said in a low whisper. The sudden change of pace turned Laurel's expression completely. She nodded lightly, signaling she understood and he pulled away his knife. With that, he began to step away and returned to his desk. Laurel moved her hands and felt around her neck, gasping in her recovery. She turned to a nearby window and looked out, staring towards Star City.

* * *

Meanwhile, the situation in the centralised area had started to pick up. Gunfire had begun to exchange and the centralised area had become a war zone. The FBI split and tasked themselves in evacuating the civilians to safety whilst the others engaged with the enemy. Oliver and Kara had taken cover with Watson.

"Thanks for coming," Oliver said, looking towards Watson.

"I am a Federal Agent, it's my duty. But if I must say... it feels oddly strange to be cooperating with one another." Watson said. It was a fair point, the FBI and heroes working together was a strange sight. But today, in Star City, they were united under one goal. "I've sent more of my team to assist your other comrades in their objectives."

"You're in contact with them?" Oliver asked.

"Yes, I believe some of them are headed for City Hall, whilst the others are headed for the warehouses." Watson relayed back. It now came to Oliver's attention where his friends were within the midst of all this. Even now, they were helping his fight, he couldn't help but feel the pride residing within him. "What's your move?" She asked. Oliver turned to look at Kara and she back at him.

"Oliver, you go," Kara said, she saw a confused look on his face. "You need to head for the king, but even if he's gone, someone's gotta deal with his army. Leave the city to me. I'll hold down the fort with Agent Watson." It was no doubt there'd be more of Dragon's men scattered throughout the city, more than what the FBI came with. But with Kara on their side, it seemed impossible for them to lose.

"All right," Oliver said acknowledging her plan. Anatoly joined in on the discussion.

"Then follow me, I will take you to him," Anatoly said.

"You can use one of my vans then," Watson said. With the go for the van, Anatoly headed for the van, Oliver tried to follow suit by felt someone grabbing his arm. It was Kara. She leaned in and whispered something into his ear. When she pulled back, she looked at him with expecting eyes. He contemplated what she said and gave her his response.

"Yeah, I will," Oliver said. Kara smiled and she saw him get up and run for the van. It was an open area where he was approaching. Some of the enemies spotted him and began aiming at him. Kara sped into the field and began to block the bullets that were incoming.

"Sorry! But your opponent is me!" Kara shouted, before she began zooming off into the city.

Oliver got into the van with Anatoly and together they proceeded to where Dragon was. They took to an alleyway and then onto another street.

* * *

The rest of Team Arrow had been hard at work doing their own thing. Thea had devised a plan to attack Dragon on all fronts. She knew that taking back this city would require more than simply taking out Diaz. If they were going to do this, they needed to remove everything that he had control over. There were two things that anchored Diaz in Star City; his grip on the Mayor and the illegal black market warehouses, that stored all the drugs and weapons. Thea decided to split the group into two. Team Thea, which consisted of Thea, Dinah, and Renee. The other half was Team Roy, which consisted of Roy, Diggle, and Curtis.

Team Thea had utilised the rooftops to make their way to City Hall, in order to rescue Quentin. As they hopped from rooftop to rooftop, they heard a loud explosive sound that resounded near them. It took the three of them by surprise for a moment, but they knew they needed to keep treading on with their mission. They eventually arrived outside City Hall, Thea fired a couple of grappling hooks, allowing the three of them to burst through the windows. They landed inside, rolling to make their recovery.

"Yo, we're just going in ham, like this?" Renee asked. Both him and Dinah looked towards Thea.

"This is a secure building. Couldn't be stealthy, even if we wanted to." Thea said. As if right on cue, armed troops started to burst into the room they were in. Dinah moved, quick on her feet and let off a scream. It hit all of the ones in front, slamming them against the wall.

"Let's move!" Dinah shouted. The other two nodded in agreement and the three of them proceeded further inside. They entered the hallways and were running together in a tight formation. Several enemies appeared in front of them and Dinah used her cries to clear the way. Renee heard some soldiers come from behind and turned to greet them. He readied his shotgun and blasted away at the hostiles.

"Maybe next time, Hoss!"Renee shouted, the other two turned to look at him. "I gotcha back, D!" Dinah nodded to signal her gratitude.

More enemies started to pour in from the other end of the hallway, in the direction they needed to go. Dinah prepared herself for another cry but had been beaten to the punch. The group of grunts laid on the floor and then a different group entered the area. Thea looked towards the uniform and saw FBI imprinted on them.

"This way! We're here to assist by a direct order from Agent Watson." An FBI member relayed. With having said that the FBI proceeded onwards. Thea, Dinah, and Renee were surprised at their newly arrived allies.

"What does this mean?" Dinah asked.

"I don't know, but most likely Oliver's behind this," Thea said, attempting to answer her question. Taking things as they were, the trio hurried after the FBI team.

* * *

Team Roy had made their attacks on the warehouses that were keeping the illegal goods that Diaz planned to use for trade. They had engaged with the enemy and had taken turns to return fire whilst taking cover.

"Well, this plan went well, didn't it?" John asked, panting heavily due to the increased situation they were in.

"Yeah, sorry about that. Plans were never really my forte." Roy answered back.

"There's a crap ton of them in here!" Curtis shouted, he then took his turn to throw out his T-Spheres. The ball began to fly around, taking fire at a few hostiles.

Roy readied himself and pulled out an arrow. He readied and gone up for his turn when all of a sudden, several people burst into the warehouse from the skyline. Each of them had a rope and had begun scaling down, taking fire at the enemy. Roy lowered his bow with a surprised look on his face.

"The FBI? Why are they here?" John asked he was the first one to identify them. None of the others knew the answers, but whatever was happening, it seemed that they were on their side.

"I'd suggest we stop talking, let's give them a hand!" Roy shouted. He fired a grappling hook arrow and began ascending into the air, reaching a high platform to maintain the high ground. John and Curtis also readied themselves and proceeded to assist the FBI.

* * *

Oliver had departed for the docks and it was just Kara left in the central area. Kara looked towards Agent Watson, she was busily radioing out her commands across the city. She turned her gaze back towards the enemy. Watson had offered them to surrender and whilst some did. There was still a huge amount of them left in Dragon's Army. She flew downwards and landed in front of a bunch of them.

"Heh, you may be able to fly and all that... but I bet you can't take this!" A grunt shouted, he swung his rifle and smacked it across her face. Kara's face turned to the side and she moved her hand to hold the area she was hit in. The grunt had a satisfied look on his face.

"Ouch... hehe, just kidding!" Kara exclaimed, turning back her head, a smile drawn on her face. The smug look on the grunt's face turned. "You're gonna have to do more than that, I'm afraid." The army stared at her with shocked looks on their faces. Then Kara muttered to herself. "Okay, Oliver... Let's see how 'being in control of the fight' goes here."

Leaving them all surprised, Kara rushed into the swarm and took a huge chunk of them out. Her speed was incredible and she was hard to keep up with. When Kara came to a stop, she could sense something approaching from her right side, he had a knife in his hand and was lunging straight towards her. Without looking at him, she moved her right arm in the pathway of the knife. The knife came in contact with her skin and shattered into pieces. The knife breaking caught the man off-guard but she knew that was how he was going to react. She grabbed him and tossed him back into the crowd. A few of them caught him using their hands to support him. Andrei had been watching the fight for a while.

"What are you doing?! Just shoot her, already!" Andrei shouted. The grunts began to hastily shift to readying their rifles. Without delay, they began firing into Kara. Kara saw the bullets flying towards her and decided to take it. Hundreds of bullets drove into her body and were just as quickly rebounded by her body. All of them kept firing, unloading off all their rounds. Kara began to walk slowly with each embrace of the bullets.

"She's going a bit overboard isn't she?" Watson asked with a sigh. After taking enough of the bullets, Kara decided to move on and returned to fly into the army. She began to zoom around, using her speed and power to fight them.

* * *

Oliver and Anatoly were on en route to where Dragon had been hiding.

"Where is he?" Oliver asked.

"He is aboard a ship, docked to ports of the city," Anatoly replied.

"Why would he be there?"Oliver asked.

"I do not know, that man is hard to read. Unpredictable... or rather just insane."Anatoly replied. It was a strange place to be hiding, but then again there's just something you can never understand about some people.

Oliver's comms started to crackle in a transmission and he proceeded to answer it. On the other side, he heard Thea's voice.

"Ollie! Hey, what the hell's going on? Everything just started getting hectic all of a sudden." Thea said.

"Yeah... sorry. Kara can be quite...abrupt is that the right word?... But how are things?" Oliver asked.

"They're fine. We ran into the FBI, that was a surprise and we're on our way to secure Quentin, what about you?" Thea asked back.

"Yeah, Kara and I made a temporary alliance with the FBI. I'm going to end this." Oliver said.

"All right, good luck Ollie, and kick his ass!" Thea said, with that, she signed off the comms.

Eventually, they arrived at the docks and stopped a distance from it. Oliver looked towards the ship, it was huge. Of all places he could've chosen to hide, he decided it to be a ship. Was this one of Dragon's games? He couldn't care long to consider it. He turned around to look at Anatoly.

"When I get off, I want you to leave," Oliver said. A slight confusion was drawn on Anatoly's face.

"What…?" Anatoly asked.

"You've done enough, and more likely, the law enforcement's going to be interested in you. Go back to Russia and I promise you I will help in whatever way I can." Oliver said. Anatoly looked down for a moment before meeting Oliver's eyes.

"I will hold you to that. Don't make me wait… kapushion." Anatoly said, trying to fight off a smile. With that Oliver got out of the van and looked at him one last time before he left.

Oliver made his way to the boat and saw two armed men by the entrance. With no time wasted, he fired an arrow, which pierced the upper area of one of the guard's outfit, pinning him to the side of the boat. The second guard turned his attention towards him and tried moving to him to break him free. The first guard shouted and made the second guard turn around. Oliver was running and was coming straight for him.

"You're not getting past me!" The guard shouted.

"Don't get in my way!" Oliver roared and used both of his hands to grip the bow and swung it like a bat. The force knocked the guard out. He then moved swiftly to the other one.

"Where's Dragon?!" Oliver asked the guard pinned to the wall.

"He's… in his office. You really think you can get to him by yourself?" The guard asked.

"Watch me!" Oliver shouted, hitting the guard and knocking him out. With that, Oliver proceeded further inside.

* * *

Andrei had made his escape during the midst of the chaos and had gone into an alleyway. He kept running, his heart beating fast from the scene he saw unfold. He had nearly reached the other side when a sudden emergence of two figures stopped him in his tracks. He stopped, trying to catch his breath and looking intently towards the newly arrived.

It was William and Linda who appeared before him. They had their hoods already down, William had a smile on his face.

"Looks like you made a wrong turn there, Andrei. Why the rush?" William asked, his voice ringed with confidence and a slightly mischievous tone. Andrei did not reciprocate the same mood as he did. Andrei finally stopped his panting.

"So it was you two back at the warehouse after all... " Andrei muttered in a lowly tone. His eyes switching between the two of them.

"Seems you have only just realised that," Linda answered, she didn't seem to suggest any sign of cluelessness towards Andrei, as did William. The tension begins to rise as the conversation went on, there was definitely some history between the three.

"You had the opportunity right there? Why didn't you take me then?" Andrei asked,

"There were… witnesses. Besides, if you had suddenly just disappeared there would be quite the commotion raised. But now, in the midst of all this, you could just be reported as a result of casualty." William said, a smile on his face. The confidence radiating from the duo made Andrei really irritated.

"You League cronies really followed me all the way here?" Andrei asked, putting his head down with a slightly nervous tone.

"We can't exactly have the Regime doing as they please. We had to make sure their Agent didn't screw up the timeline." William said. Andrei raised his head in haste, a terrified look on his face.

"I… I can't go back. If he finds out that I returned with a failure… he'll kill me…" Andrei muttered, his lips begun quivering and his face had gone pale.

"Well, between you against the course of history… I'd say we know what our priority is." William said, turning his head to look at Linda. She gave him a nod. Then turned to look at Andrei who was overtly showcasing his nervousness. It was quite the unusual sight for Andrei to have, but that was expected for someone who was made to reside in the current time.

They had traveled to the past after learning the Regime had sent someone to carry out their leader's orders. It was not known if Andrei was alone or not, but William and Linda's investigation during their time in the past lead them to Andrei. He had spent some time gathering the trust of Diaz, rising through the ranks to eventually be one of his right-hand men. His goal… to ensure that Diaz was successful in his takeover; which would become the catalyst for the end of everything.

"Now... are you gonna come nicely? Or we are going to have to play rough?" William asked, a smirk on his face. Andrei began to back away and put two fingers in his mouth. He blew and a whistle rang out. Shortly after, several armed men arrived, surrounding themselves around Andrei.

"I… I'm not going back… I can't…" Andrei stuttered to himself. The armed men held their guns in place and aimed them towards the duo.

"Told you he wouldn't come easy." William sighed, looking at Linda. She looked towards him as well. "So, what's the plan, lil sis? The usual?" He asked. As if she had known what he meant, she let out a light-hearted scoff.

"Yeah, let's see if you can get him before I'm finished with the others," Linda said, a smile drawn on her face. The two of them look towards the enemies in front of them.

"Heh… you're on!" William exclaimed, his face resembling his sister's. He readied his bow and pulled back an arrow.

* * *

On the ship, Dragon had the alarm in his room go off. The alarm began to blare loud and clear. He got up from his desk with haste and proceeded for the door, Laurel following him from behind. What Dragon saw, it shook even him. Upon reaching the outer deck, he was greeted by nothing but smoke. It had enveloped the entire area, making it hard to see anything. But eventually, it began to part way and slowly Dragon saw it. Bodies laid unconscious all throughout the entire deck. It was as if he had just come into the aftermath of something. It would've definitely shocked anyone. In the distance, he could make out a silhouette. It stood there in the midst of the smoke and it felt like it was staring straight into him.

"What in the….?" Dragon muttered to himself. He could see that vast uses of smoke bombs had been used and all if not most of his men had been subdued. He focused on the silhouette and didn't have to think hard on who it was. "Heh... what a monster...". Before he could begin to utter more thoughts, an arrow flew past him, hitting the wall behind him. Dragon turned his head to look at the arrow but noticed there was something else there. A rope attached to it, it must've been the grappling hook arrow, but that would've meant… He turned around and then he finally saw him. The man who was after him, on the other side of the arrow.

Oliver was homing in on Dragon, catching him off-guard. Dragon had tried to move but he was too slow to react. As he was getting closer, the last words Kara whispered, rang ever more prominently.

"Kick his butt, Oliver. Not for revenge, but to prove that everything you've done for the last six years has meant something."

With that, Oliver roared, ramming into Dragon, pinning him against the wall. Laurel was too shocked to realise what was going on. Oliver proceeded to move Dragon to the ground and began punching him.

As he got hit by Oliver, in that moment, Dragon couldn't help but bring himself to his final encounter with Cayden James. The words that Cayden said to him before he killed him rang prominently than ever.

"There is a difference between you and me, Mr. Diaz. Something that I know, Mr. Queen has in common with me. And that similarity… is being a father. If you're going to go against him, make sure you're ready because he'll strike harder than you ever could."

Laurel finally gained her sense and launched a scream towards Oliver. It was a weak one but had enough force to push him away. Oliver rolled until he reached the far end of them. Dragon picked himself back up and so did Oliver.

Oliver saw the two of them standing opposite of him. It had been a long time coming, and he knew that this was going to end things.

"Colour me surprise, Oliver. You actually lived to tell a tale, mighty impressive, I'll give you that. Do you really think you just can come and take back the city? It's not that simple. You not only left the city, you abandoned it and that mistake will be forever stained on your name." Dragon said.

"Yeah… and that is my mistake to bear. And I will bear it willingly, knowing that I did all I could for my city..." Oliver said.

"Hmph… you can talk big all you want, it won't the matter at the end. I have proven already, that I've beaten you, won't be that hard to do it again." Dragon said.

"Well… the first time you caught me off-guard and the second time… that wasn't a fight." Oliver said.

"Things never go the way you want it to, I thought you would have realised that by now, Oliver. This just goes to show how unfair life really is. And besides... the odds aren't really in your favour right now, aren't they?..." Dragon asked, shifting his eyes to Laurel. It was then Oliver realised, Laurel was going to oppose him. It was most likely due to Quentin being in Dragon's custody but regardless it was a two on one. The two began to approach him taking steps and backing him into a corner. Oliver gripped his bow and prepared himself for any sudden movements. All of a sudden a loud sonic boom went off from behind him. Oliver looked behind him and he could see Kara flying in from the city. She landed next to Oliver, by his side. She stood up straight and turned her head to look at Oliver.

"You came…?" Oliver asked, he was taken back from her sudden entrance. Kara looked at him with a smile on her face.

"Yeah, things were pretty much wrapped up back in the city. I figured I'd come in and even the odds out." Kara said, giving him a wink. Oliver let out a light-hearted sigh. "And from the look of things... I wasn't late!" She exclaimed. Oliver turned his head to look at Dragon and Laurel. Kara saw a slight smile on Oliver's face.

"Yeah… barely." Oliver said in a light-hearted manner. Kara let out a chuckle.

"Well, mind if I join in?" Kara asked.

The other two had remained silent during all of this. Laurel was alarmed to see Kara, her presence made Laurel more on guard. Dragon, on the other hand, didn't seem as worried, perhaps due to his ignorance of Kara.

"A two on two then? Will prove to be interesting. But let me say this, Oliver. Remember at the end of the day, you were a failure and you lost your city to me. I was right there in front of you, but you never saw me coming. It's quite pathetic actually… and now you stand next to her, a disgrace of a man. This city was on the brink and I just simply gave it the push it needed to fully embrace what it was. I have done what you couldn't... that is the reality in all of this." Dragon said, directing his slander to Oliver. Although he shouldn't take what Dragon said to heart, he could not help feeling a slight sting from those words. Oliver looked towards Kara but hadn't expected this from her. Her face, it had changed. He realised she had been silent when Dragon was talking, but he saw a look on her face that he never saw before. She was angry.

"Where do you get off?... When you couldn't become a leader on your own merits. Unlike you, at least Oliver worked hard and actually became a Mayor of Star City. If you think controlling their lives is what they want, then your ego is really distorted... You're just someone who forced his way in under a false facade and now can't handle the fact that he's lost." Kara said, her voice was calm yet full of anger.

"Kara..." Oliver said, he was surprised to see her so riled up for him.

With that she launched towards Dragon, her fist raised and ready. Laurel who was right to be on her guard let off a scream and Kara came in contact with it at full force.

"Don't you dare compare yourself to him!" Kara roared. When the collision was made Oliver could see the anger on Kara's face. All this time she was holding it down, but after Dragon had berated him was when she could no longer bear it. The collision sent out a shock wave. Laurel held her ground and kept the persistence on her cry, trying to force through but Kara kept her ground and kept pushing. Oliver noticed that Kara had started to bleed a little. Her face showcasing the pain she was receiving. This surprised him, but he remembered that it was a canary cry. The cries had a powerful force already but on top of that it was delivering a high pitched sound and considering one of Kara's abilities was enhanced hearing, it must've been hitting her pretty hard. But he could see the determined look on her face.

"COME ON!" she roared and with all her might, pushed through the cry and dispersed it. The knockback pushed Dragon and Laurel back, knocking them on their backside. Kara dropped to the ground on her knees and held her head. Oliver ran to her side and got down on his knees next to her.

"Kara..! You okay?" Oliver asked, he could see her slightly struggling to gain her senses but after a while she regained them.

"Yeah… man, I really hate going up against screamers." Kara said, knocking her head side to side. Oliver let out a sigh of relief. But after her explosive punch, she felt lighter, as if something she had been holding back was finally released.

"Well.. that was amazing. You actually went head to head against that. It was… badass." Oliver said, he was mixed with amazement and concerned. Kara let out a light chuckle.

"Heh… careful Ollie. You're starting to sound like me…" Kara said. They didn't have long to relish in the moment before the other two got up.

"Looks like this isn't over yet..." Oliver said, getting back up and as did Kara. "Time to end this."


	13. Libertas Perfundet Omnia Luce

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The showdown with Dragon unfolds. Their mission successful, the future duo make their leave but there is still something absent with the city.

The future duo had swiftly taken out Andrei and his men. Andrei had been bounded by ropes deployed from a bola arrow and was being escorted by the two towards the outer area of Star City. It was an open area with nothing but grass in sight. Linda began to pull out a device and pointed it forward. Moments later, a dissolving effect began to occur and it unraveled a small ship. The device was used to disengage the cloaking mechanism. Its design was similar to that of a helicopter but instead of the main rotor that rested on the top, there were two engines, one on each side of the ship. The side door began to unload, transforming into a ramp. Linda turned around to face the other two.

"Well… despite some mishaps here and there. We succeeded in our mission." Linda said. Andrei whose face had been staring at the ground for quite some time, lifted his head up.

"Please… I beg of you, don't take me back. That man… he'll… he'll kill me…" Andrei said, his voice echoing his fear.

"I'm afraid that's not possible. I assure you, once we return, we'll do our best to protect you. So that you may stand before a trial for the crime you have committed." Linda said. Andrei dropped his head, and moments later began to exert laughter. His response was off-putting the two of them.

"Hahaha…. You really think you can stop him…? Superman...?" Andrei asked, his voice was now quite shaken with a mix of hysteria. The name raised the eyebrows of both Linda and William.

"... Like I said. We will protect you." Linda said, her voice was slightly less confident and her face had complimented it.

"Heh. Keep telling yourselves that." Andrei said. A blank expression was drawn on his face, it was as if he had given up. William pushed him forward and tossed him to Linda. She caught him with one hand and was slightly confused.

"You haven't said anything much. Is there something wrong?" Linda asked, staring towards William. She hadn't paid him much attention but he was more noticeably silent. His head was buried and he seemed to be lost in his thoughts. After a while, he raised his read and looked back at her.

"Go on ahead, and take him with you." William said. Linda began to raise her eyebrows in confusion.

"What…? What are you on about?" Linda asked.

"It means what it sounds like. Go on without me and take him back to the future." William said.

"Where is this coming from? You intend to stay here? You know we can't do that." Linda said back to him. He didn't immediately respond, but turned his head and faced the city.

"Doesn't it seem strange?" William asked.

"What?" Linda asked, she didn't know what he was referring to. He let out a sigh and turned back to look at her.

"The return of the Green Arrow and Supergirl was supposed to invoke a tremendous rally that shifted the foundation of Star City. And although they did come back… it feels like… something else is missing." William said.

"What else is missing? They've chosen them to be their heroes haven't they?" Linda asked.

"Have they? All they did was let the people decide what they are to them. Yet there's still nothing… everyone is fighting for them and nothing." William said, his voice had got a bit heated. A slight laughter surfaced near them and they turned to find it locating from Andrei.

"What's so funny?" Linda asked. He continued laughing for a few moments before settling down.

"That's how those people are. They've never been one to take action for their lives. They've never chosen for anyone to save them. It's why they're such easy targets. Promise them a good life and they submit so fast. That is their deadly desire." Andrei said. William shifted his head down. It was tough to hear but it was no doubt some truth in what he said.

"You're right… that's how they've been. And with the way things are, it'll never change." William said, turning himself around towards the city. "But I know, there is one desire that trumps all."

"Wait! I know how you feel, but despite that, we mustn't interfere. It's the rules." Linda said. She looked towards her brother whose back was turned to her. He turned his head slightly.

"Yeah… rules are important. But if following those rules means I lose sight of myself, I couldn't live with that. This is my choice. I'll take full responsibility, go and take him with you." William said. He returned his head to face forward and headed off towards the city.

"Wait, Will!" Linda called out, but he didn't respond. She let out a sigh and turned towards the ship. She didn't know what to do, she was left with a choice between leaving her brother or going after him. She pulled out her brooch and held it in her hands. She flipped it over and turned it over. There was the usual wording that was written on it. Libertas Perfundet Omnia Luce. She remembered something Will said earlier, "A desire that trumps all." She let out a light-hearted scoff as the circumstances were quite coincidental. The Latin phrase that was on her brooch and the last words he said had quite a lot in common.

"It's no use, I keep telling you that changing them isn't that easy." Andrei said.

"Libertas Perfundet Omnia Luce…" Linda muttered. Andrei looked at her.

"What gibberish are you spewing?" Andrei asked.

Linda didn't respond to him, nor had she heard anything he said. She took out her eye mask that she stowed in her cloak. It was a mix of red and green. Muttering that latin phrase drew a smile on her face.

* * *

Kara had collided against one of Laurel's cries which set them both off. Both sides began to pick themselves up. The four figures stood facing one another. Dragon grunted as he was shaking off his weariness. It was a standoff, waiting to see who would make the first move. Oliver leaned in and whispered to Kara.

"Don't hurt Laurel. She's only fighting because she's forced to. But that means she'll be relentless with her cries." Oliver whispered. Kara turned to look at Oliver.

"Alright… I got it. Why did it have to be someone with that ability though?" Kara responded.

Laurel took the initiative and saw that the other two had conversed with themselves. She let out a cry and it came in fast towards Kara. Kara turned her head in a reaction and moved her arms in an attempt to block it but the force was overwhelming and it sent Kara flying. Laurel began moving after Kara, sprinting as fast as she could. Oliver pulled an arrow and had readied it to fire when he noticed the other one approaching him. He had a knife drawn and was also sprinting towards Oliver. He shifted his bow towards his centre to come between him and the knife. Dragon thrusted and it made contact.

"Still have this knife your boy left me. I'll see to it that it finally kills you." Dragon said, pressing hard against Oliver's bow.

Laurel ran towards Kara who was trying to recover herself. She aimed down vertically and used her cry against her. The powerful force caused the floor to open up and sent Kara down a level. Laurel kept her cry going, pinning her to the ground. Oliver pushed Dragon back with the bow, sending him a few steps back. Dragon quickly recovered and began charging towards Oliver again. He kept using quick thrusts from various directions and Oliver proceeds to block them. Dragon got close and swung the knife for Oliver's head. Oliver ducked and kept his focus on him. Oliver tried to back away slowly but Dragon kept rushing in. Swinging the knife and trying to land a hit on Oliver. He dodged the attempted hits until finally, Dragon came in with a powerful charge. He pressed the knife against Oliver's bow.

"Heh… it had occurred to me but maybe I shouldn't be calling you Dragon… I mean you're starting to lose your scales." Oliver said, he then was shocked at what he just said. Did he just make a joke? "God… I am really starting to sound like her."

"You're quite good, I'll give you that. We're not so different Oliver… if you were in my shoes you could have achieved the impossible." Dragon said. Oliver used more of his strength to push Dragon back.

"I already have." Oliver responded with a smile. Dragon wasn't amused and rushed towards Oliver. This time, Oliver was ready. He grabbed the arm with the knife and shifted his body towards Dragon, putting him in a disarm position. He then used Dragon's own strength to launch him towards Laurel. The contact disrupted Laurel's cry and the two of them were sent on the backside. Oliver rushed to the open hole in the floor and looked down. He saw Kara had got back on her feet and was shaking it off.

"Heh, thanks!" Kara exclaimed. Oliver nodded with a smile. She flew back up and stopped by Oliver's side. Laurel and Dragon picked themselves up. Oliver readied an arrow and fired it towards Dragon who proceeds to catch it. Kara launched towards Laurel once more who let out a cry, she dodged it by flying over it and landed behind her. Dragon looked at the arrow in his hand and saw it had begun beeping, he proceed towards Kara and aimed it towards her face. It was sudden and the arrow tip burst open. A black liquid was ejected and flew towards Kara's face. It began to cover her face and most importantly her eyes. Her vision was covered and tried to wipe it away but it element was tough to remove.

"Ollie…! What the heck is this arrow?!" Kara shouted. Oliver was shocked, he hadn't expected Dragon to use it on Kara. His initial idea was to use Dragon's smugness against him but he was quick on his feet.

"Sorry… wasn't part of the plan." Oliver responded. Laurel and Dragon backed away to gain themselves. "Are you alright?" He asked.

"Yeah… give me a moment." Kara said.

"Like I'd give you time. Get her!" Dragon roared, Laurel proceeded to fire a scream towards Kara, sending her flying once more. Kara managed to recover quickly but she heard another scream go off and she couldn't see where it was coming from. It hit her again. Oliver looked towards her and saw that Kara was struggling. He didn't know how to help her. She couldn't see the attacks coming. Then it occurred to him. He could see. If it was enough to stall for time to get her sight back, then it could work. Laurel readied another cry and launched it towards cry. Kara could hear another one coming in again but then she heard a voice.

"Kara, dodge to your right!" Oliver shouted. She was set back from his sudden outburst but quickly moved as he suggested. She could feel the left side of her as if something had just missed her. She let out a sigh of relief. Oliver looked around and keep his eyes on the two. He noticed something and it drew a smile on his face. Laurel sent out another cry towards her, in response, Oliver shouted out her attack and Kara used it to safely escape another attack.

"Kara, use your frost breath at 2 o'clock!" Oliver shouted. Kara sent out her frost breath and sent it towards the direction he suggested. The frost came in towards Laurel and Dragon, they dodged to their right. "Now fly up a little!". She did so. Laurel recovered from her dodge and sent another cry towards her. Oliver had a smile on his face. "Checkmate. Dodge, Kara!". Kara dodged by flying back down. The cry continued to fly and hit the arm of the crane. It was connected to a container that was suspended above them. Oliver had directed their movements so that they would be under it. As it got unraveled the container began to fall down, coming in towards Dragon and Laurel.

"You fool!" Dragon shouted, he pushed Laurel and himself out of the way to escape. Kara landed back on the ground and Oliver had gone next to her. She continued to remove the element and eventually she finally was cleansed of it.

"Woo… that's much better." Kara said, opening her eyes and closing them quickly. She turned to look towards the other two and noticed the container that was destroyed. She was impressed that Oliver had adapted quickly but more so how he controlled the situation. Entrapped in that situation she had to put all of her trust into Oliver.

* * *

Team Thea had made their ascent through City Hall. With the assistance of the FBI, they made it further up the building. Thea and Renee held their rear side, firing arrows and shotgun shots into the hostiles. Dinah cleared the forward by using her cries. They had made it to the third-floor staircases when they heard a scream go off in the distance. Renee turned around and stopped in his tracks. Then he made up his mind and ran straight for the source.

"Wild Dog, wait!" Thea shouted out towards him. Dinah who heard Thea's shout stopped as well, she went back to meet up with Thea.

"Where's Renee?" Dinah asked.

"There was a scream… and he ran towards it." Thea replied. Dinah turned her head and looked between the back and front several times.

"Go with the others and secure Quentin. I'll get Renee." Dinah said. Thea raised her eyebrow in confusion.

"What? No, I-" Thea said but she was interrupted by Dinah.

"I got this. It's not that much further up anyways." Dinah said. Thea could see a firmness in her eyes. She let out a sigh.

"Alright… but we're coming back for you as soon as we can." Thea said. Dinah nodded to signal she understood. With that, Thea ran to catch up with the FBI. Dinah turned around and made for Renee.

Dinah shouted out as she ran, calling out Renee's name. She finally heard a woman's voice answer back. She changed direction and made for the voice. Dinah arrived at a room and saw a woman and Renee slouched against the wall. She turned her eyes to pan the room and saw a few enemies laying on the ground as well. She made her way to Renee. As she neared him, she could see that he had been shot in the arm.

"Oh god! What happened?!" Dinah asked, coming in close to Renee and lowering herself. Renee had his hand covering the wound, but blood was still coming out. The woman next to him began to answer.

"He came in and saved me from those horrible men, but one of them got a shot on him!" the woman replied, her face was just as worried as Dinah's.

"I'm sorry… who are you?" Dinah asked.

"Oh, my name is Catherine. I work here." Cathy replied. Renee let out a grunt.

"She's cool, D…. Anyway, why are you here…?" Renee asked, his voice was soft and disgruntled.

"For you, obviously. You made the others worry when you suddenly came here." Dinah replied. She begun to tore a piece of her clothing and tried to wrap it to stop the bleeding.

"Oh… right…" Renee said, he had gotten even weaker. After she had finished wrapping the material, she turned her focus to the woman.

"Can you give me a hand?" Dinah asked. The woman had a surprised look on her face but after a few moments realised the situation. She nodded and complied. They picked Renee up slowly and together made their way out.

Thea and the FBI agents made their way to the mayor's office. The agents busted the door down and burst into the room. There were a few grunts inside and they were armed and ready. One of the agents took one of them down before getting shot himself. Thea went inside and readied an arrow and fired them. She noticed that one of the grunts had Quentin and was holding him hostage. A gun pointed towards him. Thea readied an arrow and pointed it towards him.

"Let the mayor, go!" Thea shouted. The grunt had a distressed look on his face as he was being surrounded by Agents and an archer.

"Don't move! Or I'll shoot him!" the grunt shouted back. His voice was shaken and his body language was letting off a scared suggestion. Thea looked at Quentin who was staring back at her. She fired the arrow, knocking the gun out of the grunt's hand. Quentin used that chance to turned around and knock out him out. With the situation settled, everyone lowered their weapons. Thea came in close towards Quentin and gave him a nod. He responded back with one of his own.

"Are you alright, Mr. Lance?!" an FBI agent asked.

"Yes, I am fine. What the hell is going around here?" Quentin asked.

"We're here under orders by Agent Watson to assist with the apprehension of Ricardo Diaz and to cease his activities in Star City." An FBI agent replied.

"I see… about time that lunatic got what was coming to him." Quentin said.

"I'll send some of my men to secure the building, Mr. Lance." an agent said. He proceeds to turn around and assign orders. Thea used this chance to talk with Quentin.

"Thank goodness, you're alright." Thea said, expressing her concern to Quentin.

"Same for you." Quentin returned the gesture. "I assume with things that your brother is back?". Thea nodded as an answer. There was something else on the top of his mind and he wanted to know the answer. "What about Laurel?"

* * *

Kara had regained her vision after taking one of Oliver's trick arrows point blank. The other two recovered themselves and got back up. They had just about to resume their fight when Oliver's comms crackled and he proceeds to answer.

"Ollie, hey! We did it, we've secured Quentin!" Thea reported in. The news brought a sense of joy to Oliver, knowing that he was safe. Kara had listened in using her hearing and expressed the same sign of relief. Oliver then looked towards Laurel.

"Laurel! It's alright now, Quentin's safe!" Oliver shouted, he saw a surprised look draw on her face. Dragon's face only became more irritated at the news. Laurel dropped her head, she seemed to be consumed by her thoughts. Oliver and Kara looked towards her to gauge what her next action would be. Her body seemed to have drooped as if she was less tense. She finally raised her head and turned to look at Dragon. She had an angry piercing look and stared straight into him.

"Heh… guess things do happen after all." Laurel said. Dragon noticed her look and began to back away. "Now I am finally done with you." She stepped closer to him and let out a cry. It connected and sent him flying. But then she felt something. Some sort of pain radiating from her stomach. She moved her hand and felt tremendous felt as it neared. Her legs dropped and she fell to the floor. Blood began to pour out from the wound. She finally realised she had been shot. Shocked as she hit the floor Kara went to Laurel as fast as she could, Oliver following right behind her. They rested on their knees near her.

"H..Heh… sorry…" Laurel said, her voice quite weak.

"For what? I heard from the others, you were only doing what you had to do. I get that." Oliver said. He turned towards Kara. "Kara, get her out of here." Kara's eyes widen.

"What…?" Kara asked.

"She's going to die if she doesn't get treated immediately." Oliver said. He got up on his feet and looked towards Dragon. His back turned to her. "Go. I promise… I won't die." When she heard those words, she couldn't help but feel worried. He gave her the answer she asked him back then. She then looked at Laurel who still laid on the ground and knew what had to be done. She wanted to believe in him, in his promise.

"Okay... " Kara answered. She began to carefully pick up Laurel and rose to her feet as well. "Come back to me." He didn't budge but she saw him nod his head. With that, she took a deep breath and took off with Laurel in hand.

Oliver exhaled a huge breath. "Whoo… that's heavy." He saw Dragon get back on his feet. "I'm sorry, Dragon." Dragon looked at him with a confused look on his face. "I'm sorry, that you weren't able to surround yourself with people that you could trust. You've gone on saying how much you wanted to dismantle me, but in the end, here we are. You're all alone."

"What would you know?! You always had something for you, Oliver. Even when you were stranded, you still had people. I... I... I had to make it on my own from the very beginning, there was no one but me! And here I am, I have forged this power of my own and I have accomplished many great things. This is the power that took your goddamn city from you!" Dragon roared. He began running towards Oliver.

"Is that right? Then I'll use my 'power' to fight for those that you have wronged in that city." Oliver said.

He lunged towards Oliver, but Oliver grabbed him and used his momentum to swing him to the ground. He rolled on the ground to recover.

"You really think you change, Oliver?" Dragon asked.

"I do." Oliver answered.

"Ha! You're a goddamn hypocrite." Dragon remarked.

"Yes. But… if I don't start now, when will I?" Oliver responded. He saw an angry on the look on Dragon's face.

Dragon rushed in and continued on his assault on Oliver. Oliver rushed in and used his bow to hit Dragon in the face. Dragon's head turned to the side as a result. He grabbed onto the bow and pulled it from Oliver. He threw it away with all his might. He then ran straight for Oliver and thrust his knife, Oliver tried to dodge but it scraped in on the side. Oliver stumbled a few steps back. He could feel the stinging pain from the knife. Dragon didn't stop and was relentless. Oliver backstepped, carefully avoiding the thrusts. Until finally he saw an opening and placed himself over Dragon's arm. He proceeds to disarm the knife from Dragon. Oliver used his elbow to ram into Dragon's abdomen, sending right on his backside. Both fighters were panting heavily from the high-paced fight. Both had been disarmed of their weapon. Dragon got back on his feet, still panting. He charged again, running towards Oliver. He went for an overhead swing and Oliver ducked and returned the same shot at him. Dragon landed a hit into Oliver's abdomen and landed a successive hit towards Oliver's face. The fight became a brawl between the two men as each swung at one another, exchanging blows to the other. The sequence continued to play out until both of them were both bloodied and bruised. They were in a stalemate, Oliver knew that he would have to change that. He still had his quiver, he reached for an arrow and armed it in his hands. He ran towards Dragon and got close to him. Dragon was on guard and noticed the arrow in Oliver's hand. He threw a hit and landed it on Oliver's face. Oliver allowed that hit so he could get the arrow on him. After doing so, he tried to retreat, but he felt Dragon grabbed onto him. The arrow began to beep, and he realised what was going to happen. Dragon saw the look on Oliver's face and saw that what the arrow was, wasn't going to be good. He let go of Oliver and tried to distance himself. But the arrow went off and an explosion sprang from the tip.

* * *

William had made his way back into the city and was heading deeper towards the central area. Gunfire was still being sent between both sides. Their numbers had been decreased thanks to Supergirl, but there were still much roaming around. He panned his eyes around the area and noticed something that caught his eye. It was a little girl crouching near someone. He used a grappling hook arrow to hone in on her faster.

"Hey! Little girl, what are you doing here?! You need to get out of here!" William shouted. The little girl looked up and tears were streaming from her face. Seeing that expression on her face, shook something inside of him.

"Mom… she…" the little girl said, but her tears made it hard to hear what was she saying. William got down on his knee and looked at the woman. She was definitely dead. He couldn't imagine how the little girl was feeling. He wanted to let her stay there but at the same time, he couldn't afford that.

"I'm sorry… really sorry for what happened to your mom. But… I need to get you out of here." William said. The little girl shook her head. "I… lost my mother as well and know how it feels… it's very lonely… it can be hard… but they would want you to be safe, no matter what."

"What do you know?! You're the ones who are always on the front, you don't know what it's like to be defenceless and weak! We can't fight like you!" A voice rang out, William turned his attention towards him.

"Yeah… none of you would understand… it's inevitable anyway… we're all going to die… this city will always be the same…" a woman said. More people began to gather near and project the same sentiments. William had been silent as he listened to all of them. He got up and rose to his feet. He began walking closer towards them.

"So what if you're weak? Don't give up because you feel like it!" William shouted. "Isn't this your city?! Are you telling me, that you're fine with living like this for the rest of your lives?! Haven't you all lived this long because you wanted to survive?! And now you want to give up? It's okay to be weak. Everyone that is fighting for this city are all people, just like each and every one of you. I am one of you. And I won't let this city be as it is, because it's my home! I fight… not because I'm strong… but because I want to live!". He put his entire soul and let everything he felt out. His voice echoed throughout the city and everyone listened to every word that came out.

A scream was let out and William turned towards it. It was coming from the little girl. The enemy had made it closer and the little girl was in their line of sight. He rushed towards her as fast he could, his bow armed and an arrow drawn but the bullets had already been fired. All of a sudden someone dropped from the sky and landed in front of the girl. She was dressed in a red suit with a yellow cape and an eye mask of red and green. He recognised that suit anywhere.

"Linda…?" William asked softly, he was surprised to see her so suddenly. The bullets came into contact with her but began to rebound off her.

"You're right... if following the rules means I have to leave innocents to suffer, then I'll live a different way. I'll defend them both… Star City...and the future...!" Linda shouted.

William didn't know what to say, he was happy to see her here this way. There was no other way to describe it.

"I… I want to live…!" a man shouted. William was surprised and turned around in haste. What he saw, he would remember for the rest of his life. He saw all the people who he had just seen but now they had different looks on their faces. They had firmness and a strong desire. A desire that trumps all.

"Me too… I want to live!" a woman shouted. Everyone began to come together and their voices raised in numbers together. They rallied together and projected their will for everyone to hear.

"Go! Green Arrow! You can do it!" a voice rang out.

"I'm sorry!" another one cried.

"I want to live!" another one shouted.

The cries of the city rose to an enormous roar and the entire continued their rally.

"Well, look at this." a voice said. William turned around and saw them. It was Thea and the other members of the resistance. "This is incredible… I'd never thought I'd see the day…" Thea said.

"I… uh…" William said. He didn't know what to say, he hadn't accounted for encountering them again.

"It's fine, you're just like your father." Thea said with a smile. The others that stood by her smile in response as well. Thea turned to look at the members of Team Arrow. Roy, Diggle, Curtis, and Dinah. "Let's get their voices to him." She pushed in her comms. The others nodded and followed her move, pushing in their comms to activate them.

Kara was flying with Laurel in her arms. She searched around, trying to find the hospital, but she didn't know where to begin. Suddenly she began to hear voices, and it kept growing as she flew about. She listened in, as she was curious to know. When she realised what it was, she couldn't help but smile.

"Heh… wow. That's amazing…" Kara said to herself. She lost herself in her thoughts until she remembered what she had to do. All of a sudden someone flew up next to her. It was someone dressed in a red and yellow suit.

"Follow me… we need to get her to safety." Linda said. Kara was shocked, she didn't know how to react. Someone strange had just suddenly appeared and she couldn't but feel that she was the same as her. A Kryptonian. "We don't have time, follow me!" The girl turned around and flew off. With questions still in her mind, she had no choice but to follow the flow. Kara began to fly after her.

* * *

"...Oliver.."

Oliver was in a state of nothingness. His body felt light and his mind was soft. It was as if he was drifting in the air.

"...Oliver…"

The voice came again. He tried to focus his vision and made out three figures. The voice was originating from a man. A man who knew all too well… Tommy.

"Tommy…?" Oliver asked.

"You gonna die here again? After all this time?" Tommy asked.

"What..? No I… I'm not dead." Oliver said.

"Then what are you doing on the ground? I told you to fight, Ollie. Was putting on the hood a mistake?" Tommy asked.

"No… it wasn't." Oliver answered.

"That's right, so get up and fight." Tommy said.

"Oliver… you've come so far. This city, they chose you to be their hero." the second said it was Laurel.

"They didn't…" Oliver said.

"But they have, Ollie. Can't you hear? They're screaming your name." Laurel said.

"I…" Oliver said.

"Oliver… you made me a promise, didn't you?" the third one, it was Kara. "So get up and keep your damn word!"

Oliver woke up in an immediate haste. He laid on the ground and his body still weary. He panned his eyes around and realised he was in the lower deck where Kara had been. He had begun to hear something in his head. Voices as they were, ringing out through his head. It took him a while to realise it was coming from his comms. He listened in and heard them. He heard the city's cry and their will. He listened to them all. Hearing them, it brought tremendous joy to him. He couldn't believe what he was hearing, but it was there and he heard it.

"I hear you… I hear your voices, Star City." Oliver said. He turned his head and saw his bow next to him.

* * *

Kara followed the mysterious girl to the hospital and was able to get Laurel taken care of. They waited outside for one last confirmation from the doctor.

"Thank you for helping me. I'm sorry, but I have to ask who are you?" Kara asked. The woman shifted her eyes down and tried to avoid eye contact. "Well… are you like me? I've never seen anyone like you on this Earth."

"Yes, I am. And it's… Linda." Linda said.

"Linda…" Kara said. Linda looked at Kara to see what her response would be. "What a beautiful name…". Kara looked at her more closely, the suit she had on was quite familiar. But the one that stood out was the eye mask. It was almost identical to the one Oliver gave her a while back.

"Well it's great you admitted her in, Because of that, we will be able to help her. Are you a relative of Ms. Lance?" a doctor asked. Kara turned around and answered.

"Oh… um… not really. But you should contact the mayor." Kara replied. The doctor made note of Kara's response and headed back in. Kara turned around. "Hey, you hear that? She's gonna be…" Kara had trickled off when Linda was nowhere to be seen. "... fine." Kara began to pan her eyes around but it was no use. She was gone. She had met another Kryptonian but she didn't get to know her that well. As unfortunate as the circumstances were, Kara powered through and headed back out.

* * *

Dragon had taken a while himself to recover from the blast. He still remained on the upper deck and had gotten to his feet.

"This doesn't change anything… I will live on… and this will start anew...hehe…" Dragon muttered to himself, limping around. He panned his eyes around the ship, looking for Oliver. "Where… where are you? I'll kill you if it's the last thing I'll do." He continued to look around and suddenly he saw an arrow fly out from the lower deck. It was a grappling hook arrow and Oliver used it to ascend out. He landed on the ground and stood before Dragon.

"Richard Dragon… you have failed this city…" Oliver said, he reached for an arrow but there was only a few left. Dragon had noticed it as well. He looked at the situation, both of them were on their last legs. He needed to end it, in one big shot. Perhaps that arrow would do the case. Oliver charged towards Dragon, slowly as it was, and fired an arrow towards him. Dragon did the same and caught the arrow in motion. He drew a smile on his face, revelling in the thought of him catching it.

"Heh… I win." Dragon said. He began to arch his arm to use the arrow as a weapon. But suddenly a breach appeared, coming from the tip of the arrow. Dragon was surprised and didn't know what was happening. Oliver jumped through the breach and had an arrow in his hand.

"Vibe says hello." Oliver said, with that, he proceeded to thrust the arrow into Dragon and pushed him back. Dragon stumbled back and due to him being weak he began to roll on the floor. Until he hit a pole that stopped his movement. Dragon felt a lot of pain resonating from where Oliver stabbed him. He slowly got back on his feet, struggling as he did. He began to pant from his loss of breath.

"You got me... that caught me off guard… nice trick-" Dragon said, holding his wounded area with his arm. But another arrow flew towards him and it was a bola arrow. The rope flew out and bounded him to the pole. "You're trapping me? You're not intending to kill me?!" Dragon asked.

"With that, your reign in Star City… is over. You lose." Oliver said. He let out a few pants before catching his breath.

"Heh… you think this means anything?! I'll get out and when I do, I'll come for you and this city!" Dragon shouted.

"And I'll stop you. Every single time. I promise you that." Oliver responded back.

A loud sound came in from the distance and a helicopter was on en route for the ship. It landed slowly and Agent Watson got out of it. She approached Oliver.

"Well...looks like you've done it. Green Arrow." Watson said.

"What are you gonna do with him?" Oliver asked.

"We'll put him on trial. Got a lot of testimonies against him, hardly see him getting out of this." Watson replied. Oliver let out a sigh. "And as per our agreement… I will honour my side of the deal."

"Thank you…" Oliver said.

"But… it only means you've been cleared, doesn't mean you're immune." Watson said.

"Yeah… back to square one." Oliver said.

"Sorry, but that's all I can do. What you do here, that's on you." Watson said.

"Yeah, got ya." Oliver said. He began to walk and as he had gotten past her.

"Just… don't give me a reason to come back here. Easier for the both of us." Watson said. Oliver didn't reply but continued to walk on. "Hey… take care of yourself." It was quite low but she thought she heard you too as well. With that, the two went their separate ways.

* * *

Kara flew back towards the ship but as she neared it she saw Oliver on the dock. She flew down to meet him.

"Ollie!" Kara called out as she neared him.

"Hey…" Oliver said. Kara could see how bruised up he was.

"Is it over?" Kara asked.

"Yeah… it is." Oliver replied.

"And you came back…" Kara said. Oliver began to chuckle slightly, it looked quite painful though.

"Well, as an old friend of mine would say and something I would like to do from now. I keep my promises." Oliver said. Kara couldn't help but draw a smile from her face. Oliver raised his hand and pointed it towards Kara. It was clenched into a fist and was suggesting a fist bump. Kara let out a slight laughter and tilted her head slightly. She met his fist bump with her own. All of a sudden Oliver began to fall. Kara raced to him and caught him. He looked extremely tired, it couldn't be helped, he went back to fighting after waking up from a coma. Flashes started going off from multiple directions, Kara turned her head to face them. It was reporters and others taking photographs of them. The numbers were overwhelming, Kara took off from the ground with Oliver in hand.

"You've done more than enough for one night, Ollie…" Kara said, as she headed back home.


	14. The Calm After

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A serenity begins to pass over Star City, one that hasn't occurred in a long time. News has spread about how Green Arrow and Supergirl protected it. How is it going to be perceived?

A few hours had gone by since the apprehension of Ricardo Diaz went down. The Resistance and the FBI worked together on reclaiming Star City. On the outskirts of the city, William was leaning on towards Linda as they made their way back to the ship, their feets trudging along the grass.

"We've really done it now…" Linda said, still coming to grips with what had just happened.

"You didn't have to come, you know that?..." William said, his voice was low and lacking energy.

"So you can make more rash decision like that? Honestly…" Linda said in a light tone, sighing as she did so. William turned his head to look at Linda, she had grown so much from when she first started out. Something drastic like he had just done would have had a more negative reaction from her. The thought of her being more forgiving brought a smile to his face.

"I'm sorry…" William whispered softly. He managed to catch a glimpse of smile before it went away.

"It's not over yet. Not until we finish our mission." Linda said, as they trudged on.

They continued to make their way back to where they had left the ship. Once they finally arrived however, they were shocked to find that nothing was waiting for them. Not the ship or Andrei. A slight nervousness began to stir between the two of them. Linda dug into her pocket to retrieve the device but it yielded no results. She continued to try again, but nothing again.

"No… oh this can't be. He's taken the ship." Linda said, finally addressing what they were dreading.

"What…? Why didn't you knock him out or something?" William asked.

"I did! But… we were gone for quite a while. He must've recovered and took the ship with him." Linda said, turning to face William. They both had worried looks on the faces. She thought to herself that she need to calm herself down.

"Oh great… he probably went back to the future. Leaving us with nothing and now we're stranded here!" William exclaimed, pointing out his frustration.

"No... he didn't." Linda said, William was confused but she seemed calm and collected. "Remember how he pleaded us not to take him back? He's terrified of doing so, because if he does...then S… Superman will find him."

"You really buy that he's that scared of him?" William asked.

"I do. Which is why… I believe he's still here." Linda replied promptly. He saw the confidence that backed up her train of thought. She continued, "He's taken the ship, but he won't return to the future. His circumstance right now, it's really dire. He has nowhere to go. He failed to do what he was sent to do, and now if he goes back, he'll die. So what happens if you're pushed into that corner?" She asked. William thought to himself about what she said, there was only one thing that made sense from it.

"You're saying… if he's going to die, he rather do it himself." William replied. Linda was relieved to see him reached the same conclusion.

"Correct, Will. And now, he has something really dangerous in his possession." Linda said.

"Wait… you don't mean he's going to use the ship as a weapon?" William asked. Linda gave him a nod.

"Yes. Not the ship itself, but what's in it. He could manipulate the time drive and purposely cause it to overload. And I don't have to tell you what happens then." Linda said. William didn't want to think that it was true but it was. The two of them let out a sigh at their current situation.

"Well then, guess we have to find him and fast." William said. With that, the two siblings made preparations to secure their time ship.

* * *

A week had passed since the reclamation of Star City. The days that passed welcomed a sense of serenity that Star City hadn't truly felt in a long time. The hooded figure who reached out to them in the midst of the crisis, invoked within all of them, to find an answer on how they wanted to live. It was after seeing the city revert back to that state, were they able to gain a better perspective and make their decision. In which, they came together unilaterally and sided with the Green Arrow. After six years, Star City finally accepted it's heroes.

Oliver and William were at City Hall, there to help out Quentin on the political side. It was around midday and they had gone through about an hour's worth of interviews. When they finally had a small break, Quentin approached Oliver.

"It's going to be a pretty big day for you huh, Oliver?" Quentin asked. Oliver was initially confused at what he was referring to. After thinking about it for a while, he finally made sense of it

"Ah, right. You mean tomorrow?" Oliver asked back.

"Yeah. Tomorrow they're gonna memorialise you. I have to admit, a lot has changed, from the beginning, how I felt about you then in contrast to now. I can certainly say, I am proud of the man you are today." Quentin said, his sentiment reaching Oliver. It had been a long time, six years since his return and now he finally achieved what he had set out to do. The evolution from a goal to a mission, to a crusade and now it was a dream. One that was made true.

"Thank you... Quentin. Hard to believe that this is reality." Oliver said, giving him an honest smile. Quentin still seemed to be deep in thought as Oliver noticed.

"Hey… you sure about this? Not going back to being Mayor?" Quentin asked, Oliver could see the concerned look on his friend's face.

"Yeah. I'm quite certain, Quentin." Oliver replied, giving him an assuring look. It seemed to ease his mood. "Being the mayor allowed me to be in the centre and do what I could as a public figure. It's been a privilege but with all things considered, I think it's time for me to take a step back."Oliver said, explaining his reasoning to him. Quentin processed what Oliver said and then let out a sigh.

"Well if that's you want, then that's that. Never thought I'd ever be the mayor though…" Quentin said.

"I have no doubt you will lead this city well and I couldn't ask for someone better than you to do the job." Oliver said, his words drew a smile on Quentin's face. Oliver raised his hand for a handshake and Quentin came in to shook it.

"Thank you, Oliver." Quentin said humbly, his voice echoing his gratitude. "What about you? What are your plans?" Quentin asked.

"I have a few ideas in mind." Oliver replied, sounding very mysterious.

"What would they be?" Quentin asked.

"Well first of, I am still going to be... you know who. But I've also considered, that maybe it's time, I put some effort back into the… business side of things." Oliver said, he saw an intrigued look on Quentin's face.

"Ah. So you've decided to take back your company?" Quentin asked.

"I've talked about this with Kara and going through this entire… ordeal if you will, has made me realise a lot of things. I want to help the people but in a different way that I can't as mayor. With the money that can be made, I can direct those as donations to reputable charities and help those in need. I feel as if there's not enough attention on the… 'little guys'." Oliver replied, his face showing his newfound compassion.

"That's one helluva motivation. Are you going to re-brand it back to Queen Consolidated?" Quentin asked.

"I've thought about it… I was thinking maybe it's time for something else. Maybe something like… Queen Industries." Oliver said.

"Whatever the case, this is a new chapter for you, Oliver. Make sure you check in now and then though." Quentin said, letting out a chuckle. Oliver proceeded to join in with him.

The two shifted their eyes to the rest of the Mayor's office. There were other people inside. The assistant and a few bodyguards to manage who was allowed in. William was by the window peering on towards the city. Their focus drew onto William.

"Look… I probably don't have any place to say this, but have you ever considered… you know… preparing William?" Quentin asked. Oliver turned to look at Quentin at his sudden question. Oliver took a moment to ponder it inside his head.

"The thought has crossed my mind… but I don't know. I mean he's young. I'm surprised you're asking me with all thing considered, Quentin." Oliver replied.

"Well it's because I've experienced that kind of life that I ask. You'll always be who you are, but the time you have with him, every second of it counts. I know you want to give him the best life you can, but maybe you ought to make sure he can do by on his own." Quentin said. Oliver turned his head away back to look at William, pondering the words Quentin said. He began to make his way towards his son. He saw William's head turned to look at him as he neared.

"Hey buddy, how you doing?" Oliver asked in a light tone.

"I'm good. How much longer do we have left, Dad?" William asked, panning his eyes around.

"Ah, not a big fan of this stuff are you?" Oliver asked back, letting out a chuckle.

"It's not that… it's just we've been here for a long time." William said. Oliver pulled up his hand to look at the time on his watch.

"Well not much left. I'd say about 20 mins left and one more person to go through." Oliver said.

"Oh okay." William said, nodding slightly to acknowledge what he heard. The words that Quentin had said was still swimming around Oliver's mind. He had been on the fence on what to, but Quentin offered a valid point, there was not much he could do about what was to come. All he can do is all in the present. If preparing William meant that he could live better, then that's what should be done.

"Hey… William." Oliver said quietly. William noticed the change in volume and paid more close attention. "What you told me the other night, that thing you told Kara, about how you felt about everything. It means a lot, more so than you can imagine. I would never have wanted to involve you in this life if I could've. But now you know and there's not much I can do about that. With what happened back then, when you arrived like you did. It was an incredibly foolish and reckless thing that you did." He could see William listening in intently and his mood dropping. He put his hand on William's shoulder and met him in the eye. "But… it was also incredibly brave of you to do such a thing. Hadn't you done that, I may have died that night. So… thank you, William, for saving my life." Oliver said with all sincerity. His words began to tear William up as his eyes began to water. Oliver came in and gave him a hug. William was caught off-guard but momentarily followed up and reciprocated the action. After a few moments, they drew away from one another.

"I wanted to tell you, that as your father, whatever you choose to do in your life, I will always love you." Oliver said, with a smile drawn on his face.

"I love you too, Dad…" William said to him back. His eyes were still watery from before.

"I know, buddy. As your father, I can't help but give you the best life I can. Which is why, if you wanted it, I can teach you." Oliver said, as he finished his sentence, William's face expressed his confusion.

"Teach me? Teach me what?" William asked.

"Everything." Oliver replied. William's eyes widen, surprised at what he had just heard. "You don't have to tell me right now, just think about it." William looked at him once more before nodding that he understood. He wiped his remaining tears from his eyes.

"When's Kara coming, Dad?" William asked.

"She should be here at one." Oliver replied, looking at the time on his watch again.

There was a knock at the door and the assistant went ahead to answer it. Two women stepped through the door, one was who Oliver had known and another that he didn't. The one that he knew was Cathy.

"Ah, sorry to intrude, but this young woman was lost trying to find you. She said her name is Linda Danvers, a rookie reporter hailing all the way from Midvale."

"Hello." Linda said, introducing herself in a low tone. She seemed to be quite nervous. Oliver noticed one thing that struck him about her, something about her felt familiar. She had short blonde hair that went up to her neck. She was wearing a business suit with a brooch that was pinned to her right chest area.

* * *

Kara was with Thea and Alex in the hideout. Kara had invited Alex over to Earth-1 as there was a special gathering that was happening later that night. Oliver had gone ahead to invite the others at Central City, unfortunately only Barry and Iris could make it. She had spent the morning training with them, switching between the two fighters. Both of them exhibit different styles. Alex was more defensive and precision oriented while Thea was more agile and tactful as her hero name would suggest. She had used the same red-sun bracelet she had brought to train with Oliver before. They were all dressed in their training gear.

Kara charged towards Thea and threw a clothesline shot towards her. Thea backstepped and used her left arm to push Kara's attacking arm down. With her hand still in motion, she used that grip to hone in on Kara and used her right arm to elbow Kara back. Kara stumbled backwards before regaining her stance. This time, Thea launched herself towards Kara. Kara blocked the two initial punches. Kara kept her eyes firmly on Thea's stance and noticed she was going for a roundhouse kick with her right leg. Kara sidestepped and wrapped her left arm around the leg, holding it firmly in place. She noticed the surprised look on Thea's face but continued moving. Kara used her right leg to sweep the remaining one and sent Thea face forward to the mat. After landing the move she returned to a stance. After confirming the session was over, Kara let out a few pants. She ran over and extended her hand for Thea to hold onto.

"Whoo… gotta say Kara, that was nicely done. Where'd you learn that?" Thea asked, panting for air as she got up. Kara couldn't contain the smile on her face. The adrenaline was exerting her excitement.

"Oliver's been insistent on training. Guess he did have a point, but you were pretty good and quite fast." Kara said, her smile beaming to Thea. They turned their attention to Alex who was approaching them.

"I'm quite surprised myself. You know, Kara, if you trained seriously, how much stronger you would become?" Alex asked.

"Yeah I can see that, but I think it's hard to really devote myself to that level of training while I'm still Supergirl. Not that I haven't thought about it." Kara replied.

"Well that's fair. Just saying however, a highly-skilled Kryptonian would be something else." Alex said. Kara appreciated her outlook on the matter, the thought of it was quite appealing. If she could fight on par with Oliver, how much of a difference would it make.

Thea had walked off to the side to catch her breath. She noticed something on the table. It was a newspaper article about what happened a week prior.

"Hey, Kara! Have you seen this yet?" Thea shouted across the room. It caught Kara's attention and she proceeded to see what she was talking about. When she finally got close, she took the newspaper in hand and read it. On the front page it boldly said "THE GREEN ARROW AND SUPERGIRL SAVES STAR CITY". The headline eased her in and she proceeded to read further. There was also a photo attached in the article that showed a tired Oliver leaning on Kara, it was probably that moment when she met him after the fight. But as she read on, deeper into the article, something began to stir inside Kara. It was still surreal to believe that Star City was as it is. Supergirl was now a part of Star City and everyone knew of that name. However there was something that she felt strange about, she couldn't quite pinpoint it but it did felt familiar. Whatever it was she brushed it off. When she had finished reading, she looked up to see the other two women looking at her with strange looks.

"Hey Kara, shouldn't you be meeting up with Oliver, right about now?" Thea asked.

"It's fine, we've got about an hour left right? We could probably go one more." Kara said, but the other two had strange looks on their faces.

"Um… Kara, you know it's 12:50… right?" Thea asked. Kara could see that she was being earnest in her question. She was quite certain that it was 11:50. She was slightly afraid to confirm the time but when she did, she realised they were correct.

"Oh god… there's only 10 minutes left!" Kara exclaimed, her shock present in her voice. She proceeded to dress herself. After managing to ready herself, she came back to the area where the other two were. She grabbed her bag and other things she had brought along. She checked the time once more. It was now 12:55. There was only 5 minutes. There was no way that she could get to City Hall in time. Well, there was one other way she could. With so little time remaining, there was no other choice, she ran to the suit chambers and put her one on. Now donned in her Supergirl outfit, she flew out of the hideout and made haste for City Hall.

* * *

Linda had begun to follow Cathy who was escorting her to the Mayor's Office. She had an earpiece and on the other line was William(F).

"Where are you, Lin?" William (F) asked, his voice had emerged out of nowhere. Linda looked around to make sure Cathy wasn't looking at her before answering.

"I'm on en route to the Mayor's Office. Are you sure about this, Will?" Linda whispered, giving a reply back.

"Yeah just keep em busy. I have to find us a way on to the guest list for that Charity Auction Gala tonight." William (F) replied.

"Fine. You better be working fast." Linda whispered back, she wanted to let out a sigh.

"Only way I know how!" William replied, his voice filled with enthusiasm. With that he signed off the comms. They came to a stop by a door in which Cathy began to open and let them inside.

When Linda finally entered the room, she was met with the attention of everyone in the room. Cathy had gone ahead to introduce her to the others and Linda walked forward to confirm herself.

"Hello. I'm here to...um ask you… about your opinions on the reclamation of Star City." Linda said, her nerves beginning to kick in. She could see Oliver looking at her. She had never met him like this before and she didn't know how to direct the situation. She could see that he was about to talk when suddenly there was slight rumble that resonated from their right. As they looked into that direction, they could see it was coming from the closet. A few moments had passed but nothing happened. Everyone in the room kept their gaze onto the door until finally it started to open. A person began to come out and it didn't take long for Oliver to realise who it was. Oliver made his way hastily to the closet where Kara was coming out from.

"Kara…?! W-What are you-" Oliver whispered as low as could but a voice had cut him off.

"Er-hem… ? What on earth are you doing in there?" Cathy had gone on to ask. Kara and Oliver looked at her with open eyes. It was a strange thing to happen, how would they explain this? Oliver and Kara looked towards one another, trying to find a way out. Then without warning, Oliver spoke up.

"Ah, Kara, did you find whatever it was you were looking in there?" Oliver asked, looking straight into Kara. She could see the look in his eyes. It was sudden and out of nowhere, but she could tell it was him asking to play along.

"Oh… I did! But as I was going down to reach it, I fell down… and then… everything else started falling…" Kara said, speaking whatever came to her mind.

"Ah! That would explain that loud noise just now, wouldn't it?" Oliver asked back. He tilted his head slightly. It came to Kara's attention that she had probably made a louder entrance. She began to race her thoughts to answer him.

"...Yes! I'm so sorry about that. I hope it wasn't that much of an inconvenience." Kara said, echoing her apology to the room. There was a slight awkwardness in the room, no one knew how to proceed forward.

"...Well if that's case then." Cathy said finally, hearing those words both Oliver and Kara let out giant internal sighs. The others took their action away from them, giving them a chance to talk. Oliver noticed that her topmost button was undone and there was a slight glimpse of the colour blue. Oliver coughed his throat and pointed stealthily to this neck at Kara. It took her a moment to realise what he meant but once she did, she quickly buttoned it up.

"Kara, sweetie… why did you uh, come that way?" Oliver asked in a whisper. Kara had walked up to him and they slowly made their way back to the centre as they talked.

"Yeah, well… I didn't realise that my watch was an hour slow. There was only one way I could make it on time." Kara whispered back. Oliver let out a sigh, he knew that was gonna be her answer.

"Well, you came at the perfect time. This girl here, seems pretty interesting." Oliver said, lifting his head up from their whisper and looking towards the new girl. Kara followed his gaze and met eyes with her as well.

"What is? She seems like a normal girl to me." Kara said, after taking a good look at her.

"Wait until you hear her name…" Oliver said softly to her. He then raised his voice to normal. "I'm sorry, could you please tell us your name again?" He asked.

"Uh… it's Linda Danvers...sir." Linda said, her voice still shaky.

"Danvers…?" Kara muttered to herself. She had the same last name as she did. It wasn't that unusual for something like that to occur, and she would've been warier had it been her Earth. This was Earth-1, it could be she is a Danvers on here.

"Well, I'll leave you to it. Have a good day, everyone." Cathy said, signaling her departure. She opened the door and left the room.

Once she had done so, everyone's attention was on Linda. Having everyone look at her was kind of intimidating. She knew the best way to get through this was to power through. The problem was, she didn't know where to begin. She made it seem that she was a reporter but she didn't have any experience of being one. From where she was, the closest thing to a job was being a teacher. Then she thought to herself, did she have to lie? There was no one else but trustworthy people in the room. They had caused enough disruptions as it were, and if their problem was going to linger on, she felt that they deserved to know. She took a deep breath and readied herself. Once she was ready, she spoke up and looked towards the two of them.

"I'm not a reporter, nor am I here about an interview." Linda said, she saw the looks on their faces transition from calm to caution. "Me and my brother came here on a mission. There was something that was prevalent and in our faces that we couldn't just ignore. In acting against what was forbidden for someone like us...we have messed with time." Linda said. The two of them had confused look on their faces, they didn't know what she was trying to say.

"What are you talking about? You messed with time? How exactly?" Oliver asked. The nerves started to kick in again for Linda, she took a moment to calm herself.

"We made sure that the people of Star City sided with the heroes. And now we've lost something as a result. Our time ship. Stolen by a dangerous man whose current situation may not bode well for this city." Linda explained.

"I'm still lost. What does this all mean? Who exactly are you?" Kara asked, there was so much information being thrown at them, that it was quite overwhelming.

"My name is Linda Danvers-Queen… and I am your daughter, from the future." Linda said, her eyes looking at the two of them. That one sentence from her caused the two of them to have quite a shock. They couldn't process what they had just heard. Their daughter, from the future? Kara's mind began to go blank and a wary feeling began to rise again inside her. Numerous questions began to race in her mind.

"You're the same Linda from that night, weren't you? The one who helped me?" Kara asked, Oliver turned his head towards Kara. It was the first time he heard of this.

"Yes. I know you have many things to ask, but I must tell you that there is a dangerous weapon that could potentially be used against Star City." Linda said.

"The Timeship right?" Oliver asked, Linda looked at him, she was surprised he had connected the dots quite fast. Then again, it was him after all. "Whoever's taken your ship, will use it against us?" He asked.

"That's correct. We had intended to solve this ourselves, but in the case he makes some sudden attack, I'd thought you ought to know." Linda replied. Oliver nodded his head, acknowledging the information. It was still a lot to take in, but it was slightly more clearer.

Suddenly, there was a tremendous rumble. A rumble that shook the entire building. The floor and windows began to rattle. Oliver could feel everything from all around his body. After several moments, the rumble settled down. Oliver turned his attention towards William and made sure he was okay. After confirming, he looked towards the other two.

"What was that?" Oliver asked, panting from the accelerated situation. His focus was more on Linda.

"That… that was a time quake." Linda said, her expression had gone into worry. "I'm sorry, I've spent far too long with you. I must be going." She turned around and tried to make her exit.

"What? You're leaving?" Oliver asked, Linda turned around once more to look at them.

"I came here to tell you what happened. As of right now, there's nothing we can do. If we need anything, I'm sure we'll talk again." Linda said. With that she opened the door, they tried to stop her again but she continued through and before they knew it, she was gone.

Like that, Linda had walked away from them. They were still shocked at what they had just undergone in several minutes. Oliver turned towards Kara and he could see that she was taken aback from everything as well. He tried to look into her eyes, but she looked down and avoid meeting him. She turned around and walked off to stand by the window. Oliver could see that it was getting to her quite a bit. He turned around and walked towards Quentin and William.

"Hey… I'm sorry to ask you this, but can you take him to Thea, please?" Oliver asked Quentin. They were slightly shocked themselves but they could see the situation. With that the two of them left the room, leaving just him and Kara alone. He began to make his way to her slowly.

"Kara...hey, I uh,..." Oliver started up, he didn't know where to begin. But as he spoke, Kara turned to him, her face full of distraught. When he saw that look on her face, he immediately felt the mood change. "What's wrong?...". He asked. He couldn't look at her be sad like that and not know why. For a while, she said nothing. He didn't know what she was going to say, but he waited.

"Oliver… I'm incredibly happy and grateful to have been with you these few last weeks. Seeing you realise your dream, your hope for this city, I am so proud of you. But...But...it just feels like everything's happening so fast." Kara said, her voice echoing her sorrow. Oliver hadn't anticipated what she was saying now.

"I know we've just started… but surely-" Oliver tried to say, but Kara cut him off.

"I cherish what we have Oliver, I do. But with everything happening as it did, I don't think we've really thought deeply about us. I think we really need to do that right now. And also, our daughter shows up… that's a lot to handle even for me. I'm sorry… I have to go." Kara said softly, a tear streaming from her eye. It was hard for her to hold in her need to cry but she couldn't do it in front of him. That was the last glimpse of her face that he saw before she left the room.

* * *

Linda had gone off to meet up with William(F). He had been waiting in an alleyway, his head was dropped and staring towards the ground. As she approached him, his posture changed and he started bursting out.

"Tell me it wasn't just me that felt that right now?" William(F) asked, he looked stressed.

"No, it was definitely a time quake just now." Linda replied calmly, her answer didn't seem to change his expression. "Well, how did it go on your end?" She asked. William(F) took a moment to calm himself and let out a sigh.

"All swell, though… we won't exactly have very incognito positions." William answered.

"I don't like the sound of that." Linda said, she sounded very wary.

"Nothing too bad… but you'll be taking over the singer for tonight. As for me, I get to be a waiter. Only positions that had people called in sick." William(F) said.

"What?! You can't be serious?" Linda exclaimed, her voice was higher pitched suggesting her shock.

"H-Hey, you're the one who can sing anyway... " William(F) stammered, putting both his hands out. It seemed that was the case, there was no use in crying over it, Linda let out a sigh. "What about your end? How'd it go?" He asked. She was afraid he was going to ask about it. It wasn't going to be received well, but it already happened, she might as well tell him.

Kara had made her way back to the apartment. She made a b-line for the couch and dropped onto it. She didn't believe she had actually said that to him. It was something that she had felt deep inside but things had gone on so well between them that she didn't want to bring it up. But the sudden appearance of Linda, that was the push that sent her in that direction. She didn't want to feel that way but having said those things aloud felt like a load off her chest. To the corner of her eye, she saw someone beginning to approach her. It was Alex.

"Kara… what… what's wrong?" Alex asked, her face was full of concern. Apparently, Kara hadn't noticed her on the way in. She came down to sit by her on the couch. Kara hadn't intended to talk to anyone, especially her sister. Kara let out a sigh. She went ahead and explained what transpired at City Hall, including what she said to Oliver. A mix of emotions ran through Alex as was depicted on her face as she processed everything.

"Wow… okay. You said that to him?" Alex asked finally after a few moments.

"Yeah...it was probably an abrupt thing to bring up, but it's been something I've been keeping down. He was just… so happy. His city was saved, everyone loves the Green Arrow now. But all of it is so surreal. I've been here in this city, but yet, I also feel like there's nothing that I can really attach myself to like he can. I feel terrible saying that to him in spite of all that, but I felt it was needed to be said." Kara said softly. Alex had listened and exerted a sigh.

"Well, that was a difficult choice for you. I can see why you wanted to say it. But if I could say… why do you feel so disconnected from this city?" Alex asked. Kara looked at her with a slight confusion. She didn't think about it that hard.

"Perhaps… because National City feels like my home. That's where I'm Kara Danvers and Supergirl. Here… I'm just Supergirl." Kara said, voicing out her thought and response to Alex.

"Well, the same could be said for Krypton right? I mean if you were there, you would just be Kara Zor-El." Alex said.

"That's different. That's where I was born, my home planet. My family and friends were there, just like National City." Kara responded.

"What's Oliver to you then? Is he not close to you?" Alex asked.

"N-No… it's not like that. He is close. I'm just saying-" Kara stammered as Alex cut her off.

"Look, Kara. I'm not gonna tell you how to do your relationship, but a 'home' shouldn't be based on a location, but rather where your heart lies. And it's fine, to have more than 1 home. You made National City your home after Midvale, after Argo City. I'm sure you'll find yourself here just fine." Alex said, giving off a radiating smile. Kara couldn't say anything in response to that. There she went off again, being the sister she was. She always knew what to say and she was right. As always.

"Why is it you always know what to say?" Kara asked, exhaling a huge puff of air. She could see a smile drawn on Alex's face.

"Comes with the territory of being the eldest." Alex replied, trying to hold in how proud she was.

"Is that right?" Kara asked again, she sounded sarcastic.

"Yep." Alex said simply. Her smile managed to bounce off Kara and make her smile too." Here's one more piece of advice then. You love helping people but you need to learn to take help yourself." Those words stuck with Kara. It was a fault of hers to a degree. With that Kara let out a huge sigh and then rose to her feet.

"Well, let's go get ready! I hope you picked something nice for me." Kara said exuberantly, her sudden change of tone caught Alex off-guard. She raised her eyebrows in confusion.

"You're still going? Thought you were in a fight?" Alex asked.

"That has no bearing on the party tonight, whatsoever." Kara said, a smirk drawn on her face. Alex was surprised to hear her answer and let out a light-hearted scoff.

"You really love him, don't you?" Alex asked.

"Shut up." Kara said quietly, her tone suggesting her flustered look.

* * *

Night time came around in Star City and happening that evening was a Charity Auction thrown to celebrate and raise money for the rebuilding of the city. Everyone who had a keen interest in the city turned up that night, as well as friends and families from various places. The event was to held at Star City Plaza Hotel.

Oliver had met up with Barry in order to rent out suits for the evening. Iris had gone off to get ready with Felicity and the other girls. The two men had made their way to the main event, located on the second floor. As they entered the room, they were met with pretty lights that lit the entire room. There were many tables planted throughout the room and chairs to go along. To the left side near the entrance, there was a small podium stage area where perhaps people talking for the night would go up and use. In the centre was an area devoted to main events such as dancing and so on. The room was filled with people, hailing from many aspects of the world. The Reclamation of Star City had invoked many individuals to take an interest.

"Have to say again, congratulations Oliver." Barry said, turning to look at Oliver. He gave a smile.

"Thank you, Barry." Oliver thanked him, returning a smile of his own.

"So, did you find that place I mentioned?" Barry asked.

"Yeah, I did. It was perfect. It was hard to find something, but I did find something that stood out to me. A brooch." Oliver said, his eyes looking down with the smile still on his face.

"Oh, awesome. Can I have a look?" Barry asked, he looked keen to see what Oliver had gotten. Oliver dug into his pocket and pulled out a small box. He opens it and inside was the brooch. It was a red brooch that resembled a bird. As Barry looked at it, Oliver could see his reaction change from intrigued to astonishment. "Wow… that's beautiful." Oliver was happy to hear what Barry had thought about it, it was kind of a nice prelude. Oliver closed the box and then snuck it back into his pocket.

"Er-hem… Ladies and Gentlemen, to kick off the night, we have a new guest to sing for us tonight. Please give a warm welcome, to Linda Danvers!" a voice spoke up, Oliver turned to the source of it and it was coming from a man on the podium. The man walked away from the microphone and let Linda walk on.

"That's funny, she has the same last name as Kara. Speaking of, where is she?" Barry asked Oliver. He didn't immediately answer as his gaze was focused on Linda, it wasn't until Barry asked again that he got his attention. He turned around to look at Barry again.

"Oh… uh, Kara and I, sort of had a… I guess fight? She went somewhere and I haven't seen her…" Oliver explained, his voice was low and filled with sorrow. His answer wasn't something Barry had expected.

"Oh… I'm sorry." Barry said, matching his tone with Oliver. Suddenly Barry's expression changed and it went to a smile. He looked at Oliver. "You sure she's not coming?" He asked. Oliver didn't know if he was honest.

"I don't know." Oliver said softly, his head drooped.

"Turn around, man." Barry whispered to him. Oliver slowly raised his head and saw the smile on Barry's face. Then he followed what he suggested and turned around.

There he saw, standing at the doorway. It was Kara. She stood there and dressed in a beautiful white dress. It felt like time had slowed down and he was taking everything in. She was simply beautiful and the sight of her brought a smile on his face. They met eyes and stared at one another, the sight of them lit them as they found each other.

"Go get her." Barry whispered into Oliver's ear. With that Barry walked away, off to find Iris. Oliver began making his way towards Kara, never letting down his smile as he neared her.

Linda was up on the stage and it was nerve-racking to be standing in front of everyone. To her right, she could see Oliver and Kara meeting together on the side, the sight of them brought a smile to her face. Seeing them gave her confidence and she used it to power through.

_What day is it_

_And in what month_

_This clock never seemed so alive_

_I can't keep up and I can't back down_

_I've been losing so much time_

_Cause_ there's _you and me_

_And of all people with nothing to do_

_Nothing to lose_

_And there's you and me_

_And of all other people_

_And I don't know why_

_I can't keep my eyes off of you_

"Care to dance, Princess?" Oliver asked, extending his hand out to her, his smile beamed to Kara. His opening line and his smile caused her to have mixed feelings. Was this his way of being funny? To cheer her up? It was certainly a strange way to approach it. But it was also endearing to see him try. Kara could not help but smile and let out a light-hearted sigh.

"So what? I need more practice?" Kara asked back teasingly, tilting her head slightly and smiling back.

"Yeah… probably should say no, huh?" Oliver replied, he realised it was a terrible attempt but it seemed to make her happy. She grabbed onto his hand and then he began to guide her with him. As they walked, Kara had taken notice of the song and who was singing it.

"Is that… Linda? She's singing 'You and Me' by Lifehouse." Kara said, her voice filled with awe. She was amazed at how good her singing was, and the song that was being sung had set the mood of the room.

"She sings it pretty well, don't you think?" Oliver asked.

"Yeah, she does…" Kara said yearningly, smiling at that thought.

They began to join everyone else who was dancing in the centre. Oliver turned around, still holding her hand and grabbed onto her other one. Slowly, they began to dance and join in the motions that everyone else was in. Linda's voice echoing across the room, her song reaching everyone's heart. Kara looked into Oliver's eyes, she could see him, standing there in front of him and smiling at her. After what she had said, he was still smiling.

"I'm sorry… Oliver…" Kara said in a low soft voice. She could see him looking at her and listening very closely. "It's just… I had come out of a breakup. Dealing with so many internal things about myself, but when I came here and...got to know you, I was able to forget about it. But it all came back and I directed it to you." She said, her voice was full of sorrow and regret.

"Well, you were right. Things have been pretty fast, it would have been best if we did think about us. But… is it really that bad that it's fast? Getting to know you… and...fall for you… every moment has made me happy. Kara… you were able to draw an excitement out of me that I hadn't felt in a long time. This feeling… it's very liberating." Oliver said, pouring his heart out to her. She could see from the look on his face that he was being honest.

"Me too… being with you has made me happy. But… I just don't know if there's anything for me here in this city. I feel like there's nothing." Kara said sadly.

"You have me." Oliver said, Kara looked at him as he said that. He was looking back, staring deeply into her eyes. Then she dropped her head with a smile on her face. He had given the same response that Alex said he would.

Suddenly Oliver let go of her hands and began digging into his pocket. He brought the small box and opened it to show Kara. Kara laid her eyes on the brooch resting inside. She saw it, in all its glory, a bird engraved in red. She slowly reached for it and picked it up. It was beautiful, she thought. She looked up back at him and saw that he hand an eager look on his face.

"It's been about a month since we've been together, and much longer since you came here. I wanted to find something in honor of that. When I saw this brooch, it reminded me of the first name you told me that night on our first mission." Oliver explained, as Kara kept staring at the brooch and then back at him.

"Flamebird…" Kara uttered softly.

"Yeah. Kind of fitting, isn't it?" Oliver asked, he was so proud of his gift. It was so out of there that Kara couldn't believe he found something like that. "Turn it around." He told her. There seemed to be more to it, she followed his suggestion. On the back there was a text engraving, that was in another language. It appeared to be latin. She repeated the phrase aloud.

"Libertas Perfundent Omnia Lucia…" Kara read, she didn't know what it meant and looked at Oliver to see if he did.

"It's Latin. It means 'Freedom will flood all things with light', roughly translated. I think it suits you." Oliver said. Kara recounted the meaning to herself. That phrase could be used in many situations, even the Reclamation of Star City. But Oliver's intent was for her. He mentioned something about feeling liberated because of her.

"I'll cherish it, Oliver. Always." Kara said, giving him a smile which in return made him lit up. She closed her hand over the brooch and held it tightly. Oliver then opened her hand and took brooch from her. He pinned it unto her dress on her right chest area. After doing so, they returned to holding hands and continued dancing.

"This goes both ways, Kara. This helping each other thing. Because you helped me back then, is why I want to help you now. Whether you're Supergirl, a Danvers or a Zor-El. You're Kara to me. "Oliver said. Those words that night, Kara would remember for a long time. She leaned in, closer to him and kissed him. It felt right doing so, the mood, the song, the moment, it all felt right. Slowly she retracted from him and they continued on smiling. Several moments later, the song had come to an end and everyone stopped dancing. Barry and Iris approached them. It seemed they had been dancing as well.

"Looks like you two are well." Barry said, smiling at them both, he was overwhelmed seeing his two friends happy. Iris was reciprocating the same emotions.

"Thanks, Barry. It's cool that you made it to this." Kara said, thanking him.

"Yeah, well, this time of the year, we usually get rid of the bad guys. Is it just me?" Barry asked jokingly. The other 3 were made to laugh.

"It's not just you, Barry." Oliver chimed in. Barry let out a sigh of relief.

"So how is it with you two?" Iris asked. Kara looked towards Oliver to see how his facial expression was, but before she could think, Oliver let out an answer.

"Well, when it comes to competitions, I have her beaten by at least a double-digit lead" Oliver said, his response was something the others hadn't expected, especially Kara. When she realised what he was talking about, she immediately jumped in.

"Are you talking about our crossword race? Look, guys, he's making stuff up, I assure you the difference isn't that big." Kara said trying to assure the others. She sounded high spirited and slightly agitated.

"I'm not. If you went back and recheck, you'll see that I'm at least 10 points ahead of you." Oliver said smugly. His look started to get Kara more agitated.

"No! He's lying! Look he can't even keep a straight face when saying that." Kara cried out trying to get the other two on her side.

"Oh sorry, my bad." Oliver said.

"Thank you! You see." Kara said with a smile on her face. She looked pleased to be triumphant.

"I forgot about this morning, which means I have 11 wins." Oliver regaining his smile and momentum back. Kara's small victory came crashing down again.

"Aye!" Barry called out, chiming in on the situation. He raised his fist and awaited Oliver's fist bump. Oliver had tried to go in for it when Kara placed her hand between the two of them.

"No, no fist bumping! The difference is at most 3 points. Iris!" Kara said, looking towards her. She had been looking at the situation closely as well.

"C'mon guys, break it up." Iris said, trying to help ease it. With that, the little shenanigan came to an end.

Suddenly a rumble began to shake the building, it was familiar to the one they felt earlier today. Was this another time quake? The floor began to tremble and windows began to rattle. In the distance through the windows, there was a bright light. Oliver, Kara, Barry, and Iris went closer to inspect it. The rumbling did not cease and the light was shining ever more brightly. A sort of black hole had encircled the light and was pulling anything in its vicinity in its direction. Not another moment was wasted before they started to act.

"You guys go! I'll get everyone out of here!" Barry shouted at them. Without waiting for a response he began to flash away and begin escorting people out of the building. Oliver and Kara headed straight for the door and made their way to emergency escape. Their suits had been laid on the ground, probably due to Barry. After suiting up, The Green Arrow and Supergirl headed for the rooftop.

* * *

Oliver and Kara made it to the rooftops. There, they were able to have a better viewpoint of the situation. They directed their focus to the white light and could clearly see that it was a ship. Most probably the time ship they were warned about. The source of the white light seemed to be stemmed from the side and every moment it was getting larger. Barry joined them up on the rooftop moments after and flashed alongside them.

"What the hell is that?!" Barry cried out, he was clueless at what was happening.

Parts of buildings had begun to tear off as the singularity began to pull it in. Various pieces began to fly around in the air, and some that were not caught began to fall down, in the direction of the civilians. Atop of that, small breaches began to form around the city. Barry began to realize what they were. Kara rushed off towards the city and began to protect the civilians from the falling rubble. Barry flashed off and began running around the city trying to close the breaches. Oliver stood there on top and stared straight at the ship. How were they supposed to stop something like that? It didn't seem safe to Oliver to approach the ship, but he knew that was the source of everything.

Kara redirected her gaze towards the ship after securing some civilians to safety. She didn't know what to do but she followed her instinct and flew towards it. The singularity that was formed above the ship seemed to be rotating in a particular direction. She thought to herself what could she do in response. Something was screaming to her to go in the opposite direction. She looked around and more rubble had begun to tore off, if she didn't stop it, it was going to get worse. With that in mind, she readied herself and began flying anti-clockwise around the singularity.

Everyone in Star City had their attention drawn unto Kara as she put everything she had into canceling it out. She could feel the intense force of the singularity surrounding her but she didn't let it get to her. She pressed on and flew as fast as she could, losing track of how many laps she had already done. However, no matter how long she flew it didn't seem to do anything.

"Kara..." Oliver uttered to himself, he watched her desperately trying her hardest to counteract the singularity to no avail. All of a sudden, a loud explosive sound rang from behind Oliver, and the door flung upon. Another person flew out of it, they seemed to be in their own suit and went off to help Kara. Linda synced herself alongside Kara and proceed to fly with her.

"You've got the right idea… just keep at it!" Linda shouted, Kara was surprised to see her there. Once again she was donning the same suit from that night. However there was no time to think, Kara kept up and pursued her action.

An arrow flew near Oliver's feet and another person emerged from the shadows. It was a hooded figure with a bow and arrows.

"Here, take this!" Future William shouted, extending his hand out with an arrow in hand. "You know what this is, right?". Oliver looked at the arrow and recognised it. It was the Vibe Arrow. Oliver began to get confused at the current situation but the other man didn't let him think.

"Once I give the signal, we'll hop into the ship. You take of the guy inside, and I'll deactivate the ship. Those two can deal with that." Future William explained, his voice was quick and stern.

Kara and Linda had continued their circling around the singularity but a slight shockwave emitted from the ship caused the two of them to lose balance. They fell a short distance before recovering.

"Flamebird! I need an opening!" Future William shouted, his voice hailing towards Linda. Kara had also reacted to the name. Without haste, Linda flew towards the ship and use her heat vision to blow open a door. Afterward, she flew back up to Kara.

"Flamebird…" Kara muttered to herself. Then she turned her attention to the rooftop and saw the two archers perched there, bows armed in their hands.

"Ready?!" Future William shouted, his voice full of urgency. Oliver had no choice but to follow the flow.

"You're gonna have to explain this later!" Oliver shouted back at him. Future William let out a sigh.

"Was hoping you wouldn't say that!" Future William cried back. The two archers aligned their shots and when the shot was clear they fired. The breach opened and they made it through, landing inside the ship. There was indeed a person inside, and the same person who was leading Dragon's Army. Andrei. Andrei began charging towards them and Oliver ran back to intercept. Future William used that to bypass him and gain access to the controls. He didn't waste any time and began the procedure to forcibly power down the ship.

Kara and Linda had resumed their flight and went as fast as they could to counter the singularity. It was tough, the force inside was chaotic, something on the level that could destroy the city, but they were the only ones who could do it. They could feel it weakening, the more they continued their flight the more they could feel the pressure lay off them. Holding that hope in their minds they raced even harder. The singularity began to decrease in size, until finally it was quelled. Kara and Linda came to a stop, they could feel their heartbeats go insanely fast. Linda looked towards the ship and saw that the time drive had been forced shut, however, it had begun it's descent.

"You stop the ship from falling. I'll rescue the ones inside." Linda shouted to Kara and then flying off. Kara noticed it too and flew off to the ship. She noticed she had gotten out of the ship already and made way for the rooftop. Kara flew under the ship and place both her hands on it. Using her strength she pushed the ship back up.

Barry came a to stop after closing most of the breaches. There was only one left, but he saw someone heading towards it. He ran towards them but as he got near, they had already made their way through. He managed to catch a glimpse of them before the breach closed.

"Kara…?".

* * *

The shakeup of the time ship had been quelled thanks to the efforts of the heroes within Star City. Oliver, Kara, Barry, Future Linda and Future William stood together among the rooftops. William had gone off to explain their dilemma to the other three heroes.

"I see… so you're William, from the future as well?" Oliver asked, confirming what he said.

"Yes, I am. I'm sorry that you were dragged into this, but I guess. With how things looked just now, it was unavoidable." William responded.

"Just tell me one thing. You said that you altered history? How so?" Kara asked. William and Linda looked towards one another before Linda answered her.

"In another history, things ended differently. It was vital for this change to occur in Star City otherwise other terrible things will occur." Linda explained.

"How exactly?" Barry asked, he too was concerned. The duo didn't seem keen on answering but they felt like they had to.

"Star City would not have been rallied and Diaz would have still been free. Father would have been locked up and the inevitable fall of Star City would incur. That will only be the first catalyst. In 2024, The Flash will go missing in a crisis. His disappearance will cause a tear between humans and metas. Eventually leading to a war between them. Then finally longer down the road, A.R.G.U.S will invoke a legislation against metas, sealing the hate between the two sides. This is the broken history we wished to avoid." Linda explained wholefully to them. She told them the entire truth and they were obviously left speechless. All of them took a moment to process what they had just heard.

"So… all of this. This wasn't meant to be?" Oliver asked.

"No… it's more along the lines that this is the new reality. I'm sure The Flash has some understanding." William said, looking at Barry. When he said that Barry understood and let out a sigh.

"It's sort of like Flashpoint." Barry said to Oliver and Kara. That word made it make sense to the two of them.

"Well, we must bid farewell," Linda said. The other three look at her.

"You're leaving now?" Kara asked, she sounded sad and disappointed.

"I'm afraid so. We have spent far too long here, we must return to avoid further time quakes." Linda replied, she reciprocated Kara's tone. But suddenly, there was a slight change in her look. She seemed to be quite eager. "I'm sorry to ask this, but could I hug you?". She asked Kara, the question was quite sudden, but Kara could see the look in her eyes. She felt something inside that couldn't deny her. She nodded to signal that it was okay and Linda walked forward and approached her. Linda put her arms around Kara and held her tightly. Resting her face on her shoulder. Kara did the same. It was a strange feeling when Kara hugged her. She was just hugging someone she barely knew but it didn't feel at all strange. Linda finally retracted from her and uttered a small thank you. She went back to join her brother and together they went to board the ship. It started to rise and without question, it took off and disappeared with a flash of light.

Just like that, they were gone. Oliver, Kara, and Barry were the ones left remaining on the rooftop. It was still hard to believe what had just happened but it is what came with the lives they lead. For now, it seemed there was nothing else to do and so they decided that it was best to end the night. Barry had waved off and headed back downstairs. Oliver had made way for the door as well before Kara grabbed his arm, pulling him back.

"Let's stay up here for a bit, Ollie…" Kara said softly. He didn't know what she was aiming for but he complied. Holding onto his hand, she pulled him to the centre of the rooftop. She grabbed his other hand and invoked the motion to dance.

"W-What's going on with you, Kara?" Oliver asked, he could see the smile on her face, as she nodded her head around, as they danced.

"Nothing really. Figured, let's take it slow." Kara answered.

"Like, literally slow?" Oliver asked.

"You were doing fine before." Kara said teasingly.

"I was just following everyone else. But now that we're here, there's really nothing to follow." Oliver said, turning his head to look.

"Isn't that better? Here, c'mon, I'll teach you." Kara said, Oliver gave her a confused look. "It's fine if there's nothing here. It's the kind of the nothing that means everything." She said softly and leaning into his face. Oliver let out a sigh. He didn't have anything to refute against that. He followed her steps and they continued to dance on the rooftop. Enjoying this moment of happiness.

* * *

(STAR CITY - 2038)

William and Linda had left the past and made their way back home. Andrei had been bounded and restrained. They flew through the time tunnels until eventually, they reached their destination. They exited their ship, William holding onto Andrei as they entered Star City of 2038. It was much more barren than it was in 2018. It did not help that it was still night time.

"Well, that was something else." William said, letting out a sigh of relief.

"Honestly, a simple retrieval mission and we turned it into a time altering crusade." Linda said, shaking her head. "I wonder if the League is doing okay." Linda said. She began digging into her pocket to retrieve a device when suddenly there was swoosh of air that brushed her. She turned around to look at William and she noticed that he was on the ground. He was not knocked out however as he slowly got back up.

"The young one finally returns." a voice said. It hailed from a distance and Linda turned around to see who it was. It was then, she saw him, something that was impossible, but he was there. Superman. He was atop a rooftop and was holding Andrei in one hand by the throat. A cold shiver shot down her spine as she came to grips with it.

"What are you doing on this Earth?! We locked you on Earth-38!" Linda shouted angrily towards him. His facial expression did not seem fazed.

"Please, child. You think something like that would stop me?" Superman asked, his voice was cold and stern. He turned his head back to look at Andrei. "My, My. You simply had one thing to do for me, Andrei. You failed to do so." He said, staring at him with menacing eyes.

"P-P-Please… sir! I know I have failed you… but if you give me another chance, I promise I will succeed…! Please, sir!" Andrei cried out, his voice echoing his fear and terror. Superman did not utter a response but simply shook his head in disgust. His eyes began to glow and heat vision shot out from his eyes. It pierced into Andrei's, causing him to scream in pain and agony. "AURGGHHHRGHHHHHHHHHHGWAWH!" He screamed, he hands moving to free himself but it was futile. Linda and William were frozen in shock as they witnessed his death.

"WHY?!" Linda cried out, she couldn't believe what she saw. "You did not have to kill him!".

"He was a criminal. That was his justice, long coming." Superman responded, his voice was monotone and robotic. Linda couldn't fathom his reason. What on Earth happened to him to make him this way? "You are young and naive. Being kind will only lead you so far. Maybe then you will understand the Injustice I have faced."

That was his response. It did nothing but anger and distraught Linda. She could feel something inside her stir. She clenched her fist tightly. She lifted her head to look at him, to see the Once Symbol of Hope become an Icon of Tyranny. She could not hold back anymore. She charged towards him in a fleet of rage, connecting her fist into his face. He recovered himself and chased after her, landing his own shot. The two began to fly around the city spreading their fight, their punches sent shockwaves across the city

"Oh god… they're going at it…This isn't good." William said to himself, he didn't know what to do. All he could do was watch her. Linda found an opening and used it to throw Superman into a building. She used this window of an opportunity and sped towards William. She grabbed him and sped him into the timeship. When William realised where he was, he looked towards in confusion and shock.

"You have to go, William. Get them. We have no choice." Linda said, her eyes pleaded him to go.

"What…? No, I can't…" William stammered, trying to collect himself. He didn't know what to do. Linda turned around and saw that Superman had gotten up.

"Go, William, Go!" Linda shouted and took off towards Superman and charged into him. Like that she was gone, he didn't want to leave her but there was nothing he could do. He decided to do what his sister asked him. He set the coordinates and made his way for 2018. His ship had begun to fly off when he heard a scream from behind.

"NOOOOO!" Superman roared trying to chase after the ship. But Linda intercepted him and sent him back. Saving the ship, the light flashed and he had disappeared. Linda turned around and looked towards him, panting from their fight.

"You're gonna have to deal with me." Linda said with ferocity. With that, the two continued their fight.


	15. Chapter 15

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A moment of happiness sails on through for Oliver and Kara, however, another threat rises and desperately needs their help.

(? - Year 2038)

It had been five years since then. Five years since the fate of that planet took a turn for the worst. That was the length of time since the rise of the Regime. Seperated from society and hidden from the eyes of the public, a lone figure stood within the confines of a frozen structure. Another person enters the vicinity, the visitor making their way to the resident.

"It's been five years…," The visitor started up. The resident looked at the newly arrived, dressed in their iconic red suit.

"Yes, it has been." The resident replied, they were sat on a metal bench. They raised their head to look at the visitor. A question burning inside them broke out, "How are they?"

"Fine, as it seems. They take after you after all." The visitor replied, his voice sounded pleasant. The visitor could see a slight smile on the resident's face. The visitor begins to look around and could see various equipment and components placed all throughout. "You've put everything to good use, I see."

"I have to. I need to make sure we're ready, when the time comes," The resident said. They turn to look at the visitor, feeling a sense of guilt after what they had placed upon them, "I'm sorry for putting you through all of this."

"It's fine. Now I understand what it was like for you back in the day." The visitor replied, their showcase of empathy invoked the two of them to engage in a small chuckle. After it finally settled, the visitor spoke again, "If I recall, they're going to arrive soon, aren't they?"

"Yeah, they will. It's been a long time coming. I must thank you again, for keeping my promise." The resident said. The visitor responded with a nod and turned around.

"I can't stick around too long. Hang in there." The visitor said before finally leaving the resident alone.

* * *

(Star City - 2018)

It was the day following the events that transpired with the timeship. Today was going to be a monumental point in Star City's history, in which The Green Arrow would be forever memorialised as the man who saved Star City. Today, the city would take its first steps in the right direction.

"My name is Oliver Queen. After five years in hell, I came home with only one goal… to save my city. That fight has taken six years, but today that battle is won. This does not mean that it will be the last. To protect those close to me and my home, I must continue to be something else, someone else. I am, The Green Arrow." Kara said in her deepest voice towards the mirror. She was standing inside the bedroom and had gotten out of bed. She heard a chuckle coming from behind her. It was Oliver, who had been laying on the bed and watching her. He was shirtless and in his shorts.

"Is that what I sound like to you?" Oliver asked, amused to see her portrayal of him. He proceeds to get up from the bed and approached her. "If I might add, not that I would say anything like that, but I would switch the last part around. Something along the lines of: 'I must continue to be someone else, something else…" Oliver said, his voice deepening as he recited the line. Kara turns around, she had nothing but her top on. She was in the middle of getting dressed.

"It would definitely be something you'd say," Kara says with a smile. Oliver begins to shake his head.

"I'm going in as The Green Arrow, why would I start off with my real name?" Oliver asked.

"Why wouldn't you say that in a speech like that?" Kara asked back teasingly. She had a laid back look. He didn't know for certain if she was being serious or not. She certainly looked like she was.

"Are you honestly being sincere right now or are you just pretending?" He asked her, mimicking her tone. She dropped her mouth slightly in a reaction to his comment as he had expected her to, but she quickly recovered.

"Hey, you should know me, I'm never that dense. In these circumstances, I'm always pretending." Kara responded, she looked happy as she begins to walk past him.

"Just pretending, huh…" Oliver whispered to himself. He turns around and continues to look at her with a smile on his face. Kara had noticed him staring at her. Without any warning, Oliver came in and lifts her off the ground and carried her to the bed. He laid her down first and began to kiss her. She returned the gesture and kissed him back. The two were basked in their own world. Oliver finally pulls back and stares at her deeply.

"You're so beautiful…" Oliver says softly, he noticed Kara go red at his compliment.

"You're handsome yourself…" Kara replies softly back to him. This in turn caused him to have the same reaction.

"You know, we have some time before it all goes down. Care to indulge in anything?" Oliver asks. He could see Kara pondering his question in her mind.

"We could do another crossword?" Kara asked.

"We could watch tv?" Oliver asked back.

"Maybe get something to eat?" Kara asked back.

"I'd like that," Oliver says softly, he begins to lean in again and kiss her. But before he does, a doorbell goes off and their attentions are drawn to it. "Who could that possibly be?" He asked.

"Oh! That must be Alex and Thea! They're here for the party!" Kara exclaims, Oliver draws a blank and rolls to the side of the bed. She quickly goes to give him a peck on the cheek before getting up and putting on some pants. Oliver finally catching up with things, lifts his body up and sits on the side of the bed.

"What…? Who throws a party at this time in the morning?" Oliver asked. Kara turns around after putting everything on and had a smile on her face.

"Me. Now hurry up and get dressed." Kara said, with that she proceeds to leave the room and leaving Oliver behind.

"Yes, ma'am," Oliver said half-heartedly. It seemed like there wasn't much else to do but comply with the situation.

Kara rushes to open the door. When she opened it, she was met with Alex, Thea, and Roy. The three proceed to enter the apartment.

"How long did you two say you did this again?" Alex asks Thea and Roy. Kara had noticed they had been conversing on their way here.

"Going about four years now," Roy answered. They saw the amazement on Alex's face.

"Impressive. You two put quite the fight with that many years," Alex responds, her tone compliment her astonishment. They turn around after finishing up their conversation towards Kara. "Hey sis!".

"Hey, guys! Thanks for making it." Kara says.

The rest of the crew begin to make themselves comfortable with Oliver and William joining moments after. Oliver goes off to help Kara with the preparations. Time passes and other guests show up to the apartment. Barry, Iris, Renee, Zoe, Dinah, Curtis, John, and Felicity. All their friends in Star City had shown up to show their support for Oliver. Everyone begins to talk amongst themselves, catching up on one another. Finally able to take a break, Oliver heads off towards Alex who had been sitting on a stool near the kitchen table.

"Hey, Alex." Oliver starts up, pulling out another stool and sitting beside her. She turns her head to look at him with his greeting.

"Hey, Oliver. Today's the big day, huh?" Alex asks him, giving him a smile.

"Yeah, it is. Kara seems to quite to enjoy these types of celebrations alot, doesn't she?" Oliver responds. He begins to look at Kara who had been making something in the kitchen. Alex turns to look at her as well. It was quite amusing to see her so energetic and high spirited.

"Yep. Some things never change, for Kara, that's one of them." Alex said. They continued to watch her run about. Oliver suddenly remembered something that he hadn't tended to ever since back then. He turns his head to look at Alex.

"Hey… I never did thank you for helping me back then. With Dragon, I mean." Oliver said. Alex turns her head to look at Oliver. She could feel the gratitude in his words.

"You're welcome." Alex responds, a smile drawn on her face.

"You held your own against him. I was impressed." Oliver said.

"Thanks. And... a little warning, if you hurt my sister, you should worry about yourself as well." Alex said, her tone was light but also serious. He could see the amount of love Alex had for her sister.

"Duty noted." Oliver responds, he had nothing but respect for that warning. He had been in similar situations before, so he understood how she felt.

Kara approaches them and puts down a plate in front of Oliver. It had caught them by surprise. Oliver stares down at what seemed to be a slice of pastry. However, something was off about it. Something he was not keen on knowing the answer to. He lifts his head back up to look at Kara.

"Uh… w-what is this?" Oliver asks Kara.

"Oh, that's a pie. I had been looking for recipes on how to make it but I hadn't much time to work on it. But I think I did a pretty good job." Kara explained, she seemed to be genuinely eager about all this. She hands a spoon to Oliver. "Here, taste it."

Oliver grabs the spoon from Kara. He then looks back down at the pie. Slowly he dug the spoon into it and the inside begins to flow out. The smell… it was closing on what Oliver had deduced. He turns to look at Alex who seemed to be thinking the same thing as he did. He could see it by the look on her face. Kara, on the other hand, was staring at him with expecting eyes. He puts a piece of it on the spoon and slowly puts it inside his mouth. When he began to eat it, it was then, it was confirmed, it was… terrible. It tasted as if someone who cooked their unwashed socks. He saw the look on in her eyes and couldn't bring himself to upset her. He gulped it down and gave her a smile. Kara had been watching him and noticed his reaction.

"What's wrong? Is it not good?" Kara asked, she had look confused. She begins to reach for his spoon when suddenly Oliver pulls back and begins to devour the rest of the pie. Alex was taken aback by Oliver's sudden action as well. He let out a small noise which signaled he had finished. Kara was not that oblivious, she could tell from how he was acting. But he didn't have to eat all of it either.

"It was good. But I think perhaps it could use a few minor touches... right Alex?" Oliver asked, he gave a look. It took a moment for her to realise but she understood his intention.

"Oh, yeah!" Alex exclaims, getting up from her seat. She begins to drag Kara with her back to the kitchen. She turns her head slightly to look at Oliver who uttered a small thank you to her.

Oliver proceeds back into the party and made his way to his sister and Roy. They had conversed and finally made it clear to him what they had planned.

"So, you're really going to leave Star City?" Oliver asks them, confirming what they had just said to him.

"Yeah, we made our minds up. Getting back into all of this, made me understand what it was I truly wanted. I simply want to help people. It's the best version of me. But, watching the events unfold in this city, I have come to understand something else. There's a whole world out there that needs people like us. Knowing that, I can't just stay here anymore." Thea explained, her reasoning for her departure became much clearer to Oliver.

"I see. You have a good point. If that's what you want to do, then go for it." Oliver responds, his words meant a lot to them.

"What about you, Oliver?" Roy asks. His question raised an eyebrow from Oliver.

"What about me?" Oliver asked back.

"What's beyond for the future? You've done all you can for Star City. Maybe… you should expand yourself more." Roy said. The suggestion was quite appealing, Oliver thought.

"A neighboring city… maybe. But the entire world? That's highly unlikely." Oliver said.

"Sure you can. With a team, you could." Thea says, Oliver once again draws a confused look. "I mean, you practically do it already. Just make it official. It would be amazing, wouldn't it? An assemble of heroes tasked with protecting the world. A league intent on delivering justice." She said, as the words left her mouth, she saw something rise within Oliver. A realisation, as it were.

"A Justice League…" Oliver says to himself, but the others had heard him. Barry and Kara to be in fact. Kara had decided to leave the cooking to both joined in on the conversation as he had said that name.

"That's a cool sounding name, if you ask me." Barry chimed in, he looked quite positive on the matter. Oliver turns to look at Kara who seemed sort of mixed like he was. But momentarily, her expression had changed to excitement.

"If you really consider it, it's not that bad of an idea, actually," Kara said, voicing out her thoughts on the matter. "What do you think, Ollie?" She asks him.

Oliver had pondered the thought to himself. The concept of it was amusing. He had never really extended his reach beyond a few cities he had known. To expand that reach globally would be a huge shift. If he were to agree, it wouldn't happen overnight. He could see the others looking at him, waiting for his reply.

"I'll think about it." Oliver answered, his reply didn't seem to satisfy most of them but it was all he could say for the moment.

"Well, if you do decide you will. We can let you know on anyone interesting we find." Thea said with a grin. It was nice to see her find herself and enthusiastic.

* * *

Another hour had gone by, everyone got themselves a glass in preparation for Oliver's toast. He had gone on to speak and thanked everyone for their contributions thus far. Once it was finished, they all raised a glass together.

A doorbell had gone off and Kara had gone to answer. She opened the door only to be shocked to see who was standing on the other side. It was William, or to be more specific, it was Future William. She proceeded to call Oliver and he promptly came to the door. She saw him begin to express the same reaction she did. Future William proceeded to step in the hallway, inviting them to follow him. They did not know how to respond at his appearance but eventually decided to comply with the situation. They followed him into the hallway and closed the door behind them.

"What's wrong? I thought you went back to the future?" Oliver asked, starting the conversation. Future William took a moment to compose himself before answering them.

"That's why I'm here. I wouldn't ask you this if we didn't have any other choice. But it's a last resort…. I need your help." Future William said. He had come to ask for their assistance, that alone meant trouble.

Oliver and Kara followed Future William to the rooftop in which they found the time ship once again. Future William explained the situation to the two of them.

"Between everyone springing on me about forming some Justice League and now my son has asked me to help with something in the future, I'm just not quite sure what to make of everything." Oliver said, he seemed to be quite stressed over the matter.

"Well then you can rest your mind on one matter, you will. The three of you will form this Earth's Justice League. A formidable force that's been established across the multiverse. On another, it's been formed by a different set of people." William had gone on to say. The information was quite overwhelming to hear. But it did ring another point.

"Well if that's the case, why can't our future selves help you?" Kara asked. When she asked that, she saw him lower his head slightly. He took a moment before answering.

"They're… not around." William replied, his voice was quite mournful. "Like I mentioned, this is the last resort." William stood there for several moments waiting for their answer. Oliver begins to pace around and ponder everything in his mind. Kara too had gone to consider things.

"If recruiting us means it was your last resort…. Then I guess I can't refuse." Oliver said, giving his answer. The other turned to look at him, both looking surprised.

"I'm surprised. I thought we'd fight over whether or not if we go." Kara said.

"I'm not 100% on board. Having heard stories from Barry about what happens when you mess with things like this, gives me a lot of reason for not going. But I know you… you would go even if I said no. If that's case, I'd rather tag along." Oliver said, explaining his reason.

Oliver and Kara turn to face William who had a sign of relief pass his face.

"Truly, thank you!" William exclaimed, his voice was filled with gratitude. He was met with smiles from the two. It made him feel happy seeing those looks on them. He knew, however, that he shouldn't be wasting time. He proceeded to disengage the cloaking device and begin boarding the timeship. The other following right behind him. With that, he set the coordinates for 2038 and went back to the future.

* * *

(Star City - 2038)

The two Kryptonians continued their rally across the city. Linda was holding her own, the best that she could manage against Superman. The fight had torn open holes throughout buildings all over the city. Her stamina had begun to go low as their fight prolonged and eventually she let her guard down. Superman slammed his fist into her abdomen, causing her to arch her back a bit. He flew above and raised both his hands above his head, coming together. Then, he brought them down at full force and connecting into Linda, sending her down fast, imploding on the ground. The impact created a crater around her. Superman begins to slowly descend, his arms fold cross and staring down at her.

"Quite impressive, that you've lasted this long. Tell me, child, who taught you how to fight?" Superman asks her.

"M-My father…" Linda responds, her voice soft and lacked any energy. It was hard to move after such an impact.

"Ah. My dear cousin's beloved. He too reminded me of an old friend." Superman said. He descent finally brought him to the ground. He proceeds walking towards her."But he too, could not stop me. The only one who had a chance, was Kara. You may have that potential, but you're still far inexperienced."

He had come to a stop in front of her. He lowers himself and picked her up by her throat, her feet leaving the ground. She was finally able to see him more up close. The look he had on his face, it was of that of hatred and discontent.

"Why do you live, when others did not? Every time I look at you, I am reminded of what I could've had, what was taken from me. I used to love you, like I would my own child. But these emotions never standstill, they grow, and now I have nothing but hatred." Superman said, his voice was cold and stern.

He stared deeply into her and she could feel nothing but hate radiating from this man. It was painful to have someone she used to admire, look at her in such a disrespectful manner. All of a sudden, an enormous tremor begins to occur. It was a similar sensation she had felt earlier. A time quake. If that was the case, it would mean that they had arrived. Superman reacted similarly as she did and let go of his grasp, dropping her to the floor.

"You've come, have you…" Superman uttered to himself, before taking off.

Linda begins to gather herself. She musters all her strength and rises to her feet. She had to go after him as he was heading in their direction.

* * *

The time ship passed through the time tunnel and momentarily the surrounding became that of a civilization. The ship made its descent on a nearby rooftop and the door opens for them. William gets up from his seat and walks to the other two who had been seated. To his surprise, they looked completely normal, although Oliver looked like he was fighting to hold it in. The three of them proceed to exit the ship and walked outside. They were met with a similar scenery to the one they had left however there had been a few buildings that were destroyed. Oliver and Kara begin to take in their surroundings and it was a little disheartening to see that life wasn't that different, even twenty years into the future. The one thing that has stood throughout all of time was war, and war never changes.

"There should be some of them nearby, I'll try and contact them." William said, he dug into his pocket to retrieve a device.

"What is?" Oliver asked.

"The League." William replied, turning to look at Oliver.

A sonic boom could be heard from a distance and Kara could hear it quite clearly. Everything around had slowed down, Oliver and William were frozen in place. She turns her head around, eager to find the source of the sound. She could feel something approaching her and finally, Kara found it. Her head facing towards her right, she could see someone flying towards her. Their face filled with rage and their fist raised in a preemptive strike. Kara tensed her left fist in a reaction to this sudden movement. It was then she realized, it was her cousin, Kal-El. He did not seem to be stopping and was coming straight for her. He had only quite a distance left before a fist came in from Kara's right-side, slamming into Kal's face. A woman, donned in a red and yellow suit. Linda's hit was about to send him flying when he grabbed her and pulled her with him. Kal returned a punch of his own into Linda, sending her back. They stood in place, staring down one another in the sky before reconnecting their fight. With that everything resumed back to normal speed.

"W-What's going on…? Why is Kal fighting her?" Kara asked, she stood there completely shocked by the situation unfolding.

"There's no time for explanations right now! You have to help her!" William shouted, the other two heard him but were still shocked in place. Whatever the case, she needed to stop it. With that, Kara took off from the ground and headed for them.

"Kal! Stop! What are you doing?!" Kara screamed, her voice screeched like a siren. Linda came to a stop and turn in a reaction to Kara. Kal took the moment of surprise to charge into Linda at full speed, sending her crashing into the ground. Kal after finishing his move turns around to look at Kara. His eyes moving up and down, looking at her.

"It's been a long time since I've seen you wear that, Kara." Kal said, he was mentioning her suit. "It's to be expected, I guess. You are not from this time. Those two have gone through the trouble of pulling you two here. Wouldn't want to waste their efforts now, would I?".

Kal begins to charge into Kara, she raises her arms in an attempt to block. He makes contact with her and was staying an inch from her face. He places his left arm in the centre of her's to keep them in place and uses his right arm to punch her in the face. Kal jumps back slightly and then accelerates into her at full speed, the change in motion took her by surprise and he begins to take her into the ground. They come into contact with the ground, creating a crater-like area amongst themselves. Kara could feel from the way he was fighting, he was not pulling any punches, he was really trying to hurt her.

"Kal… please. Why-?" Kara asks, her voice struggling to get words out from the pain. Kal does not respond and proceeds to pummel into her face. Another punch had come in for the count, when he sent flying. Kara follows her eyes to see it was Linda who had charged into him.

Kal rises back to his feet and shakes off the hit. Linda was beginning to feel her weariness get to her. She hadn't much time to recover and she was using all she could to fight him.

"Quite the resolve you have, child. But you should know your place!" Kal roared at her. He rushes towards, his fist landing into her face. Her body begins to fly backwards but he grabs onto her and pulls her back in, kneeing her in the abdomen. Blood begins to fly out of Linda's mouth. She falls to her knees, but Kal catches her and holds her by the throat. "Like I said, still far inexperienced." He uttered those words once more to her.

Linda couldn't move any parts of her body anymore, she had exhausted all her stamina. All she could feel was the grip around her neck tightening. Her consciousness fighting to keep her awake, her eyes slowly begin to close. Without any warning, a wave of fire fly towards them and hits Kal directly. The sudden attack forces him to lose his grip on her, her body drops the ground.

Oliver and William had made their way to the ground. They rushed themselves towards the area where the fight was taking place. Oliver took notice of the fire that landed on Superman. He turns his direction into the sky and noticed a human embodied in flame soaring. It was not just them either, two more people had shown up, two familiar faces.

"Firestorm, Frost, Vibe! Nice of you to join us!" William shouted, his face filled with happiness at his allies sudden entrance. Oliver turns around to see a breach behind him.

Frost uses her powers to create a pavement for her to use and get into the battle quickly. Future Cisco runs up and stops by Oliver. Frost begins to encircle around Superman, firing icles towards him. Firestorm had been doing the same and throwing fire. Kal dodges the incoming projectiles with ease, backing away slowly. He shifted his eyes around everyone. But then, an arrow flies from his side and pierces into his arm. He grabs the arrow and pulls it out, noticing the green coated tip of Kryptonite. Kal looks up and noticed that William had fired the shot. He had removed it quickly but the efforts had begun to affect him. They noticed Kal show slight weariness from the Kryptonite. The others begin to hone in on him and backed him into a corner. Suddenly, a breach opens and a flash of light speeds out of it. The lightning races around and proceeds to hit all of the heroes near Superman before coming to a stop by his side.

"Clark, we have to retreat." The speedster said. Superman continues to shift his eyes around the current situation. Then turns to look behind him where the breach was still open.

"This isn't over yet." Kal says, declaring the end to the fight. In which he proceeds into the breach. The speedster stops a moment, turning to look at everyone. Oliver and Kara take better notice of him and recognised the suit. It was the red suit they all knew.

"How dare you show your face here, you traitor!" William roars. Oliver and Kara were shocked at his sudden outcry. A traitor? What could that possibly mean? They turn back to face him.

"Barry…?" Kara asks, Future Barry does not utter a response but continues to look at them. Moments after he races into the breach and causing it to close.

The battle had come to an abrupt end and everyone got a moment to catch their breaths. Kara then turns around and remembers about Linda. She races over to her and got on her knees as she neared her. Linda slowly turns her face to look at Kara who had begun lift her head up.

"M-Mother…" Linda mumbles in a whisper, it was the last thing she said before she lost consciousness. Linda falls back into Kara's arms, her body feeling like a motionless body. Kara looks at her and she begins to feel a sadness. She fought so hard to protect her but she couldn't offer much in return. Everyone else begins to gather around her. Oliver lowers down on his knees as well and looks at Linda. He too had an overwhelming sense of sadness wash over him as he saw her laying in Kara's arms. After a moment he rises back to his feet to look at the others.

Oliver looks towards Frost and Firestorm. He was familiar with Caitlin but he was taken back from the new Firestorm. The last he had a recollection of had died in 2017. Firestorm begins to split and two people emerged from it. A man and a woman.

"I'm sorry, who are you two?"Oliver asks.

"My name is Ronald Stein, I am Martin Stein's grandson." The young man introduces himself.

"And I am, Martina Jackson. I am Jefferson Jackson's daughter." The young woman introduces herself.

Hearing their names brought a mixture of surprise and astonishment towards Oliver. Who would have thought that.

"Vibe, can you open a breach?" William asks.

"Where to?" Cisco asks back.

"The Hall of Justice," William responds. Hearing his answer, Vibe opens a breach and holds it for everyone. Kara lifts Linda up and carried her in her arms. With that, everyone proceeds into the breach.

* * *

(Metropolis - Earth-38 - 2038)

The Flash had returned with Superman. Without any delay, Clark had gone off to get healed by the rays of sunlight. Barry had met up with the other members of Superman's Regime with the commencement of their meeting. A vast open space they had decided upon and as he neared the location he could spot the members one by one. Wonder Woman, Guardian, Hawkgirl, Martian Manhunter, Superman and himself. These were the members that formed the main commandments of the Regime. As he finally joins up with them, Diana turns to look at Kal.

"It seems they pulled no punches, Kal. Barry said they had you cornered." Diana said, her arms folded cross and staring at him.

"Don't you concern yourself with that, Diana. I was merely taken aback by the two newly arrived." Kal responds.

"Oliver and Kara? Hadn't we dealt with them already?" Diana asks.

"It's their younger versions. My dear cousin's children went and pulled them here." Kal answered.

"What? From the past? What does this mean, Clark?" James asks. Kal turns to look at him, giving him an easing look.

"Nothing, they're just desperate for help. Their Justice League, if you can call it that, is no match for us." Kal said, he begins to let out a light chuckle. Everyone else seemed to be on edge but the confidence from Superman leaked over to them and lifted their moods.

The meeting had concluded and the Regime members begin to make themselves scarce, all but Barry.

"It finally begins, huh…" Barry says to himself. He turns his gaze to the onlook of the city.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello, I'd like to take the time to say thank you for reading this far. It really makes my day when I read through the things people have posted. Some story notes. The Star City arc was centered more around Oliver and how Kara became intergrated into his story. Now this storyline which will be a mix of the Injustice Games and my own take of it, will focus more on Kara. Although since this is much bigger it will also have other things going on. This is a new challenge for me, but one I'm happily taking on, hope you're there with me on this journey. Once again, thank you!


	16. Year 2038

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> It is the year 2038. 20 years forward from where Oliver and Kara were from. Thrust into the midst of things, Kara seeks to uncover what had happened.

[Earth 38 - Metropolis]

 

There was nothing to be heard in that single moment but the air’s brush against his face and the world below him. Clark had rosen above, closing his eyes and honing his ears as the world went about it’s day. The sound of sirens blaring in the distance and the shuffling of feet as people walked, he could hear it all. A lot had happened since then, but his pursuit for justice had led him to this point, to this new found peace that he forged. Everything was coming along as he had envisioned, all except for one thing. The one thing that founded his desires.

“Are you watching over me? It’s finally been done, what we have always wanted.” Clark muttered to himself, sounding reminiscent. He brings his right fist up closer and clenched it tightly as he looked at it. “You will always be the light that drives me… Lois.”

His moment of solace came to an abrupt end as he noticed someone approaching him. Clark turned his attention towards the newly arrived person and realised it was Diana. She was one of his trusted allies that assisted him with The Regime ever since the beginning. She flew and came to a stop next to Clark.

“Kal. We have made progress on our two fronts.” Diana said, Clark’s face began to express a lift in interest towards her report.

“Well done. It seems that the Luthors aren’t as elusive as they think.” Clark said, a slight smile drawn on his face. 

“As that may be, it’s just one of their research facilities. There isn’t a confirmation on either Lex or Lena.” Diana said back. Clark let out a sigh suggesting his disappointment on the matter, “How would you like to proceed, Kal?”

“No matter, they will eventually be found and brought to justice. Gather Barry and James, bring them with you.” Clark responded, taking a slight moment to ponder a thought. “Where is Barry?”

“I’m certain he’s with our new guest.” Diana answered.

“Ah, I see. And the other matter?” Clark asks.

“She exists on Earth-1 as you theorised, The problem is that she’s being kept hidden somewhere. The current whereabouts are unknown… for now.” Diana explained, the confirmation from her gave Clark an overwhelming sense of joy. Having seen the reaction it caused him, Diana decided to leave him and proceed to get the others. It was true then, she existed on another Earth. If that was the case, then perhaps it was not all for naught.

“Soon then. Soon we will meet again...” Clark says in a whisper, his new found drive draws a smile on his face.

[Earth-38 - Red Sun Prison]

Barry had made his way to Stryker’s Island, a place that was devoted to holding high-classed criminals that Clark had encountered. In the last five years however, a special cell block named as the Red Sun Prison had housed someone special. But right now, that was not where Barry was headed towards. He came to a stop in front of a cell and looked inside to see the man in the yellow speedster suit. A man he knew far too well and yet far so little at the same time. Eobard Thawne. The only thing between them was a single plate of specialised glass.

“Come to visit again, Flash? What will the others think of this?” Thawne asked, his voice suggested his sarcasm. As always he had a snarky remark to make at every encounter they had.

“...Why are you here? You think you could just waltz in here and it’d be easy?” Barry asked him back, ignoring his initial remark. Thawne dropped his head slightly and began to chuckle. 

“You tried already yesterday and nothing panned out. You know we’re going to go back and forth all day and not get anywhere. But you… on the other hand are something else. Finally brought peace and order to the world. And made yourselves a new set of friends on top of that. How are things, Barry?” Thawne raised his question to Barry.

For someone who had shown up only recently he was quick to assess the circumstances. It was true, five years ago he helped Superman and his allies with their objectives. The results of his action at the time caused a divide between those on Earth-1 and The Regime. The individuals who trusted him had shifted towards those on Earth-38, but it was too expected, he understood why they would feel that way. Barry turns his attention back to Thawne who had proceeded to walk closer to the glass panel.

“This should be interesting, to see you fight your old friends. Don’t disappoint me, Flash.” Thawne said, looking deeply into Barry’s eyes. 

Even though they had him contained, somehow he always seems to have something hidden. Always one step ahead. Barry was about to utter a response back to him when suddenly the doors behind opened. He turned around and was greeted by James Olson.

“Barry! There’s an update on the search, we’ve found one of their facilities.” James said. He comes to a stop and noticed that Barry was standing near Thawne’s cell. He shifted glances for a moment before saying something again. “Clark wants us to deal with it.”

“Alright then.” Barry answered. James proceeded to walk away before he noticed Barry still looking towards Thawne.

“Barry!” James called out, his voice seem to snap Barry out of his pondering and he quickly caught up next to him. 

 

[Earth 1 - Washington DC - Hall of Justice]

 

Several hours had passed since the fight between Flamebird and Superman that sparked in Star City. Cisco had vibed the group to another location that Kara hadn’t seen before. The structure that came to greet her was enormous. It’s design reminded her of the airport hanger that she first arrived in on her initial trip to Earth-1. However it grown beyond that and various other altercations that made it unique. Once further inside, Kara had gone on to be more impressed by it’s interior design. Subtle architecture that reminded her of different places she had seen.

Kara had followed everyone else to a medical bay area, where Linda had been laid down atop a bed. Caitlin had operated a device that projected yellow sunlight onto Linda, and slowly Kara could see she was beginning to heal. Seeing that, made her felt so relieved. 

“Her heart rate is at an average bpm and her vitals are normal. We’ll just leave the sunlight on her for a while and she should be fine.” Caitilin reported in, the news she brought gave everyone a smile. 

Oliver proceeded to walk closer to her and grabbed a chair to sit on. He stared at her deeply for a moment. 

“She’s so young…” Oliver uttered softly, his eyes not leaving Linda. Kara walked up to him and stood slightly behind him. She began to look at Linda and noticed what his comment meant. She never had a really good look until now. Linda was much younger than she was. She must be at least still a teenager, at most nearly twenty. She couldn’t imagine what she had to go through that put her on this path. 

“We can leave you here, if you’d like.” Cisco said, trying to give them some peace. Kara turned around to look at him as he addressed them. Oliver turned his head slightly to listen as well.

“It’s alright… William came to get us because you needed our help.” Oliver answered him. He lifts his head to look at Kara. “Go on. I’ll stay here with Linda. I’ll join up later.” 

“You’re sure?” Kara asked him, Oliver gave her a nod and smiled at her. It seemed he was content on this matter. With that, Kara began to follow Cisco out of the medical bay area.

They had made their way into another section of the Hall of Justice. The area they found themselves resembled that of a prison. However, there were not many holding cells, only about two or three.

“I have to say, this place is really incredible Cisco.” Kara said as they walked. Her gaze was locked onto her surroundings.

“Well, that’s funny.” Cisco said, a slight chuckle exerted from him.

“What is?” Kara asked.

“You’re the one who built it. You took some inspiration from the Justice League on Earth-38 and used it to build this one. Of course, Barry, Ray and myself contributed to the designs. And it was thanks to the merger with Wayne Tech that Oliver was able to help out with the funding.” Cisco explained, his voice was full of excitement as he talked about the Hall of Justice.

Hearing that took Kara quite off-guard. It was kinda surreal to think they had actually gone through with the idea. The size of their ambitions and ideals were all stored here and founded this structure. They had about passed through the cell area when Kara had noticed something on her left. She came to a stop and turned her attention towards it. There was a man sitting inside the cell. He had brown skin and eyes with black hair. It was someone who was a complete stranger to her but the fact that he was held here gave Kara an unsettling feeling. The strange man noticed Kara staring and met her with his gaze. He did not utter a response but simply returned to his business. Cisco had taken notice of Kara’s straying from him.

“Oh, don’t bother with him, Kara.” Cisco said, getting back to her. 

“Who is he?” Kara asked. Cisco didn’t answer immediately but momentarily after he did so.

“His name is Black Adam or to be exact, Teth-Adam. He uh… he’s an ally of your cousin.” Cisco answered. The name did not ring a bell to Kara, for she had never heard of him. She turned back to look at the man but he simply remained silent throughout. It seemed that she had to follow Cisco’s suggestion as he demonstrated no interest in her. 

Kara passed on through and found herself in a vast room. The immediate feeling she had was that this was a sort of meeting area. She had begun to hear voices being raised and saw that it was coming from a woman and a man. In between them was William trying to calm them down. 

“If he hadn’t done what he did, we would have had a chance! Your father is the reason we haven’t gone anywhere!” the man shouted, his likeness became familiar once again. He was the male counterpart of Firestorm. Ronald Stein. The woman counterpart was also near him trying to calm him down as well. Her name was Martina Jackson.

“We don’t know what happened! Don’t go throwing accusations without proof!” the other woman who Ronald had been arguing shouted back. She had brown skin and hair. Her most distinguishing feature was her purple and white jacket.

“It’s been five years! If there was anything to say, why hasn’t he said anything? Even William knows what I’m talking about.” Ronnie shouted. The other woman didn’t have a response for that. But she seemed determined to hold her ground. 

“Nora.. it’s okay. I may have overreacted once I saw him earlier, it was hard no to do so. But I’ve been there, having everyone against your dad. It’s the worst feeling.” William spoke softly, he tried to ease the mood. It seemed to have worked as she looked a bit better.

“Oh I don’t have time for this!” Ronnie cried, storming out of the room. Martina quickly followed him.

Once the two had left, the room sunked into silence. It had seemed they had been arguing about Barry’s allegiance with The Regime. Something she hadn’t thought about much. Kara looked around the room and felt the awkward tension filling the room, even Cisco didn’t seem keen to lighten it up. Suddenly, someone from the back toward making their way forward. A woman dressed in black leather. She had blonde hair as well and looked oddly familiar. 

“Kids these days… don’t think even my cry could keep up with them.” Laurel said, shaking her head. Her tone seemed sarcastic. Kara and her met eyes as she finally got into the centre of the room. “Well, that’s a throwback, if I’ve ever seen one.” Laurel stared at Kara’s suit and eyed it from top to bottom.

There was no doubt. It was Laurel Lance, the same one she had met briefly and fought against back in 2018. Except now, she was much older. 

“You’re part of the Justice League?” Kara asked, her question was quite sudden and to the point that hadn’t realised she had asked it. 

“Think of me as more of a part-timer. I just owe someone a favor, is all.” Laurel replied, there was a slight sadness in the last part that Kara barely picked up on. Kara couldn’t help but express a sad expression. She then noticed looked at her with a smirk. “You always do that. It’s gotten quite predictable. You shouldn’t worry about others so much…” Laurel said, she began to turn around and made her way to where she had come from. The room resumed it’s silence it had undergone moments earlier. This was going to be tough, Kara thought to herself.

(Earth 38 - Detroit)

Barry was enroute to the coordinates Diana had given him. He travelled at his fastest speed whilst carrying James with him to Detroit. It was certainly a low key area to have a facility in but then again that was probably why they had chosen it. He rushed through multiple cities and momentarily came to a stop on a rooftop, skidding to a halt. 

“This the place, huh?” Barry asked, shifting his attention to the large infrastructure. It’s design reminded Barry of a hospital. 

“Doesn’t look like much. But then again, that’s a Luthor for you.” James said, he put his head down slightly in a moment’s thought before looking again towards Barry. “They’re developing some sort of drug, which once consumed gives the user enhanced abilities, ones that could match those of Diana’s or even Clark’s.” James explained.

“Right… in the wrong hands, that could mean bad news. Let’s make sure that doesn’t happen.” Barry responded, to which James nodded in agreement.

Meanwhile, within the facility, the members of the crew had no way of knowing of what was to come. Various scientists had been hard at work, crunching down and minding their own business. Then it happened, the instant contrast to the sirens blaring throughout the facility. The raring siren began to stir panic in the scientists and they began to get up from their seats. The ones in the main area turned towards the monitor and caught a glimpse of a lightning streak zipping from 1 screen onto another in mere moments. 

“Oh god, they’ve found us!” a man shouted, a noticeable panic in his cry. His tone incited panic in the others but before they utter their next thought, they were all made unconscious, all but one. The remaining scientist stood there, frozen in place and saw the scarlet speedster in front of him. He began to back slowly, trying to put distance between him and The Flash. He had only made a few steps before being forcibly stopped from behind. Something had stopped him, or rather someone. The man slowly turned his head and saw another one. This time, it was James. Once the man had acknowledged him, James kicked him and sent the man flying onto his backside. James unsheathed his shield and placed the edge towards the man’s neck.

“Where’s Lena Luthor?!” James asked angrily, he had masked his voice with a voice changer and made it deep and menacing. 

“I- I don’t know!... Ms.Luthor doesn’t show up in person!” the man replied, struggling to answer through the pain.

“I need a location, answer me or this won’t stop…!” James ordered and began to apply more pressure and stomped onto the man’s stomach and edging the shield slowly closer. He continued his aggression until the man broke, begging him to stop.

“OK! OK! Please stop!” the man pleaded. James let the man go and saw him gasping for air whilst holding his stomach. “I overheard my boss and her conversing once. They mentioned something about a desert, in the Nevada. This was about a week ago, that’s all I know, I swear!” the man told them. 

Barry came towards them and looked down at the man. He was most certainly frightened, and considering how close he was to death it seemed he would have no intention of lying.

“That best be the truth. My advice… run.” James said after processing the man’s confession. 

“Um-- what if I don’t?” the man asked, his voice still trembling. James did not reply, rather he quickly swung his shield at the man’s face and ultimately knocked him out. He began to walk away from the body and towards a nearby laptop. Barry caught up alongside him.

“Bit excessive don’t you think?” Barry asked. James turned his head slightly to Barry as he listened.

“It’s the way things are now. This isn’t like 20 years ago when we first started out.” James answered him. 

“Yeah I know. But still…” Barry said softly, his comment drifting off. There was a truth to what he said, in this time, this was the way things had gone. The way to enforce justice.

The two of them began to split off to look around the room. James went around examining the various machines but found nothing relevant to their objective. It wasn’t until Barry had rummaged through the laptop that he came across something. James raced over to see what had caught Barry’s attention. He stared at the screen and saw a line of symbols that Barry had managed to bring up.

“5-U-93-R”? James asked, his face expressed his uncertainty of the phrase he saw in front of him.

“No clue either. But my gut tells me it’s important.” Barry responded.

(Earth-1 - Hall of Justice)

“Okay… someone needs to explain to me what’s happening here.” Kara said, breaking the silence of the room. Everyone turned to look at her. Kara felt a slight tension as the others looked at her, as if they were acknowledging her presence there. William stepped forward to the large table in the centre and looked towards her. He paused for a moment, as if he was gathering his thoughts and figuring what to say. He then let out a small sigh and proceeded to talk.

“This all began 5 years ago. It was that fateful day that changed everything. The moment Superman made his choice was the first step towards this moment-- well I guess it was something prior that also contributed. But from then on, he committed to this path of absolute justice. No matter… what it took.” William had gone to explain, his voice was full of sorrow. To hear it once more of how her cousin had turned out seemed surreal once again to process. Kara couldn’t believe that this was a reality.

“What happened exactly, that made Kal… like this?” Kara asked, a slight quiver surfaced at the end. She dreaded to hear the details but knew that it was inevitable. She looked to William for an answer and could see him struggle to answer. Nora walked up and answered in his place.

“it -It was the death of his family.” Nora answered. 

Kara felt an uneasiness feeling overcome her. Her heart felt like it stopped for a moment. Is that what happen to Kal? This was what made him like this?

“You mean… Lois died?” Kara asked in a low voice, her energy was still tied down as she processed everything.

“Yes.” William answered, his voice failing to contain his sadness. “When he learned of their deaths, the anger overtook him and eventually led him to kill the one responsible. The Joker. It was then that the League was split, Superman moved on forward, striving with his newfound ideal of justice and those within the league who supported it, joined him. The others spent their time trying to combat it, all the way until now. We’re carrying their fight.”

“I see.” Kara said, she had been listening intently to William as he explained everything. She was still processing the fact that her cousin had turned this way. It was honestly, heartbreaking. She looked at him then shifted her gaze to everyone in the room. “So, where do we go from here?” Kara asked.

“Well you see that’s why we decided to bring you and Dad. We’re up against a powerful line-up of the strongest beings in the multiverse. Superman, Martian Manhunter, Wonder Woman and The Flash. Each of which have undergone through plenty of experiences to get where they are. Our best consists mostly of Linda, Nora and The Firestorm duo. And now you is another plus.” William said.

“Yeah… not an awesome lineup to go up against, that’s for sure. That fight earlier with Kal proved that, he’s much better than last time I fought him, which is probably like over 2 decades ago for him.” Kara said, she let out a sigh. She already knew of the other three but if this Wonder Woman was considered amongst them, she must be incredible as well.

“Right. You can see now what our problem is. But there might be a way for us to come out of this.” Nora said, she turned to look at William who in turned noticed her suggestion.  
“Yeah. You remember I mentioned about Superman’s close friend?” William asked Kara. She thought back to earlier and remembered it. She nodded as a response. “He may be our key to stopping them. He was known to create contingency plans against the League, in the case they were to turn rogue. Sort of like Dad, I guess. But anyways, if we can find him, we can find a way to win. We need to find Batman.” William said. The name suddenly stirred within Kara slightly for a moment.

“Wait, I think I’ve heard of that name but… it can’t possibly be. The friend Kal used to tell me who resides in Gotham and fits that quota.” Kara said, voicing out her thoughts.

“It is. His name is Bruce Wayne.” William responded. 

“Bruce Wayne, you say?” a voice asked, it had come from behind Kara. She turned to see that it was Oliver and Linda following closeby. Kara immediately proceed to the two of them.

“It’s okay, mother. I’m fine now.” Linda said as Kara got close. Those words put her to a halt. It was still surreal to be called that. And it felt like it wasn’t gonna be that easy to change. But still, the sight of her back to full health gave Kara some peace of mind. Kara then remembered what Oliver had said and went back to ask him.

“You’ve heard of him?” Kara asked.

“Yes, I’ve heard of Bruce Wayne. When I was younger, I ran into him a couple of times, he was a billionaire so naturally we did but never could I imagine him as anything like that.” Oliver responded, he let out a scoff at his last comment.

“And what about you?” Kara asked, a smile drawn on her face. It was amusing to see how ironic it was. Once Oliver had realised what she meant she could see him lose his expression.

“Fair point. So, Bruce Wayne is Batman, at least on Kara’s earth, right?” Oliver asked. 

“Right. The thing is he’s gone into hiding ever since. We’ll have to track him down.” Nora answered. That answer didn’t leave a good impression.

“If we can that is. Missing for five years, oddly sounds familiar.” Oliver said. Kara realised the similarity that Oliver had drawn about him, quite interesting it was. She then turned to look at Nora and had now just realised something.

“I’m sorry, didn’t get to ask earlier, but who are you Nora?” Kara asked her.

“Oh, right. Sorry was caught with everything. I’m a speedster, just like The Flash. My name is Nora West-Allen.” Nora said, a slight excitement in her demeanour. 

“Huh? Wait...but that would mean--?” Kara asked, stumbling in her question. She looked to Oliver’s face and was greeted by his complete shock. He had probably came to the same conclusion as she did. “You’re Barry’s daughter?!”

(Earth 38 - Metropolis)

The Flash and Guardian had returned from their raid on the Luthor Facility in Detroit. Barry raced within the city and noticed Clark perched above a rooftop, watching him. He ran towards his direction and came to a stop. He looked up to see Clark’s back as he still continued staring forward.

“How’d it go?” Clark asked, turning his body to face them.

“None of them were there. But we did learn of some things.” Barry said, reporting in on the mission. He went on to explain what they had uncovered in Detroit.

“I see. Quite disappointing but not for naught. What did you say the code name was, Barry?” Clark asked.

“5-U-93-R. I can’t seem to figure what it means.” Barry answered.

“Heh. It’s intriguing that Lex gave it such a name. It means Super. My decision in entrusting him with creating those drugs may have been an error. But we will correct it.” Clark said.

“That’s right, Kal. We’ll find them and be rid of it.” Diana’s voice called, she was coming down as she neared them. “What shall our next move be? We will follow your judgement.” 

Clark turned his eyes to look at everyone as he gathered his thoughts.

“Diana and Barry, you two will continue the search for the Luthors. Myself, James and J’onn will head to Earth-1.”

 

(Fortress of Solitude - ???)

The lone resident who resided in the frozen structure emerged from within. They wore a cloak covering their suit. They dug into their pocket and pulled out a device. A device they had received long ago from an old friend. 

“Enough time has been spent on preparations. It’s time I made my move.” They said, and with that the they activated the device and breach open. They then took notice of their right arm. It was different to the left one. It’s mechanical operation perform extremely well as a replacement and the tint of green gave it a personal touch. Then once they had finished reminiscing, they proceeded through the breach.


	17. Linda and William

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A light has been shone on Clark's determination and drive that turned him to the man he is now. As they adjust to the news, Oliver and Kara spend some time with William and Linda.

(Earth 1 - Hall of Justice)

"You're really Barry and Iris's daughter?" Kara asked Nora once again.

"Yep! That's correct, heh!" Nora replied enthusiastically, judging from her mannerism she resembled Barry quite a lot. Nora turned to look at Oliver who seemed to be still trapped in his puzzlement. "Is.. everything alright, Mr. Queen?" She asked him.

"Huh? Oh. Yeah...I apologise Nora, I'm still coming to grips with the idea of my own children at the moment." Oliver said, he moved his left hand to hold his head. It must of been a lot for Oliver as well, Kara thought to herself.

A loud alert began to flare and one of the monitors in the room lit up to show a pair of numbers. There were four of them split by a colon in the middle. It was most likely the time.

"It's already time, didn't even notice it. Nora?" William said in response to the alarm. He directed his question to Nora who was already anticipating.

"Yeah, I'm on it." Nora said, she had turned back to look at Kara for a moment. "It's so cool to meet you, Supergirl! And you as well, Green Arrow!" Nora exclaimed, she gave the two of them a big grin and moments later flashed away, leaving behind a trail of yellow and purples streaks.

"What was that?' Kara asked.

"Oh it's nothing that needs our immediate attention, Mother, it's just a daily routine we have set up. Nora's gone off to ensure that the V.I.P is secure." Linda answered. Kara turned to look at her in surprise. She hadn't said anything after making her recovery.

"Well, is there anything you need us to do?" Oliver asked, he had placed both his hand behind his back and he returned to his ordinary posture.

"Uhh, well to be honest. We should really wait until Nora comes back before we decide anything. In the meantime we could…" William had gone to say but drifted off, his tone indicated he was suggesting something.

"Ah, we certainly can't do that, Will! I don't think they would want to waste time doing that." Linda exclaimed, she put her hands to her hip and seemed insistent against William's idea.

"Do what exactly?" Kara asked, the desire to know was burning inside her and she just had to ask.

"I- U-Uh-" Linda stuttered, it seemed that pressing on that notion seemed to make Linda nervous.

"A good ol' sparring session is what!" William announced loudly, his voice full of energy. After doing so he went into a laughter. Linda on the other hand had went all red and fell silent. Is that what they were suggesting?

"Of course we'd be down. Right, Ollie?" Kara turned to Oliver who seemed to be viewing the interaction. Her sudden question caught him off-guard.

"Can't see why not." Oliver replied promptly. He didn't show it but Kara could see he was eager to see what these two could do. It was in his nature.

"Really…?" Linda said softly, it was nearly inaudible but it was filled with a certain hopefulness.

"Ha! That's great, finally our old training grounds can be put to use again!" Cisco chimed in, he too was showcasing an eagerness to the notion.

"There's really a place for that?" Oliver asked,

"Who do you think help plan out this place, Oliver? You bet there is! Time for a Kryptonian Rumble!" Cisco shouted, his fist pumping into the air.

(Earth 38 - Red Sun Prison)

Superman had given his orders for the members of The Regime to carry out. Diana would continue the search for the Super Drug being developed by The Luthors whilst Clark would head over to Earth 1 to search for her. There was some down time before they needed to move out and so Barry decided to pay a visit to someone held on Stryker's Island. This time around, he headed for the special cell block area known as the Red Sun Prison. There was only one person held here so he headed straight for their cell block. There they remained, as they have been for the last five years. The containment room was a large spherical shape and there was a constant stream of Red Sunlight beaming into every inch of the room. As Barry neared the walls of the cell, the prisoner looked up to greet them. Their white gown that went over their entire body was the only thing they had to wear and lost was the bright colours they had donned prior.

"Hello, Barry…" The Red-Sun inmate said, their voice did not seemed surprised, as if they had anticipated his arrival.

"Does wearing that thing ever get old?" Barry asked. He heard a slight scoff coming from the inmate.

"Heh. It ain't so bad. Not that there's much to choose from." The Red-Sun inmate replied. After doing so, they got up from they had sat and moved closer to the glass panel. "Tell me, how could you do what you did five years ago?"

"I could ask you the same thing. We made our choices back then, and this is where it led us." Barry replied back, a strong conviction in his words.

"The weight we carry for those decisions… which one is much heavier?" The Red-Sun inmate asked again.

"I don't wish to compare such a thing." Barry responded, he answered sincerely. The inmate heard Barry's answer and let off a small smile.

"Neither do I, Barry. Neither do I." The Red-Sun inmate said. They continued to stare at each other before the inmate decided to turn back around and head back. "Go on, play the hero."

With that the inmate continued to sit and closed their eyes. As if going into a meditating state. Holding those last words, Barry rushed out of the prison.

(Earth 1 - Hall of Justice - Training Grounds)

There was really everything in the Hall of Justice. Oliver followed the others to the South-East Section to what Cisco dubbed as the Training Grounds. It's design was similar to that of the Pipeline at Star Labs but much vaster and more room to work with. Rumbling caused by the collison by the two Kryptonians shook the area, even beyond to the secure area where Oliver stood with others to watch them.

"Man, the clashing of Kryptonians nevers get boring. They're just sparring yet it feels like any minute the ground's going to open and takes us." Cisco said. Oliver could not see anything wrong about Cisco's judgement, it really did felt as he described.

"She's quite fast, this is just my first time observing but it looks like Linda's nearly as fast as Kara." Oliver said, voicing out his observation.

"Yeah, that's always been her strong suit. Mostly everything was self-taught but there is one thing she's been fond of. I'd say if she was trained more effectively she'd be something else." William chimed in.

"And what would that be?" Oliver asked, curious to know what he had meant.

"Just watch and you'll see." William replied, he didn't answer him but his comment left Oliver to wonder and so he resumed watching Kara and Linda continue to fight, paying close attention to Linda especially.

Kara had finally got a break and rushed in to force Linda away from her. Finally able to get some breathing room, she took the advantage to recompose herself. She honed her focus on Linda and just now noticed something peculiar. Linda had her arms held in a particular motion, as if she was following a fighting style. It seemed really familiar, just like the time she had sparred with Oliver, right now, Linda was using the same form.

"Come on, mother. What are you waiting for?" Linda asked, a small smirk was visible on her face. It seemed like she was having fun.

The rest of this moment in the battle had finished its course and so, Kara heeding Linda's call, charged headstrong towards her. Kara raised her right arm and used it as her opening move. Linda shifted her body backwards slightly and dodged the attack. Linda grabbed Kara's attacking arm and flung it quickly upwards, and used her remaining arm to land a punch into Kara's abdomen, sending her flying backwards into the wall.

"Wha- is this for real?" Kara asked, she was taken aback from Linda's counter attack. It was impressive, Kara admitted. In no time at all, Linda returned to the same form she had earlier and was again on the defensive. Kara thought back to what Oliver had taught her. There was something she wanted to confirm and there was no other way then to test it out.

Kara got back up and in no time flew as fast as she could into Linda once more. The same thing had happened again, Linda countered her advance and sent her back once more. Kara attempted again multiple times and the same thing occurred as a result.

"It's as I thought. Heh…" Kara muttered to herself. Her numerous attempts led Kara to one conclusion. In order to take back control of the fight, it was necessary.

Kara rose up once more and met Linda in her eyes. She seemed wary, on guard and was ready for her. Ready for her to the same thing. With that, Kara launched towards Linda and readied her fist again and in response, Linda was moving to counter her. This time, as Kara neared she shifted her actions, and stopped a distance from her. She fired a heat vision blast and it took Linda by surprise. The power was immense and sent her immediately into the ground. Linda had tried to recover but Kara was already on top of her. All her opening had been sealed off. The match was over.

"Darn, I nearly had you as well." Linda grunted, she Kara extend her arm and held onto it to get back up.

"You're good, Linda. Your form and technique were amazing. However, you were too reliant on it, you never resorted to using any of your other abilities. I know this was meant to be a sparring session, but maybe you could take something from this. Always be in control of the fight and make sure to switch things up, doing so can throw your opponent off-balance." Kara told Linda, she could see a slight sadness on her face but also she seemed to be listening intently.

"Using my advice I gave you Kara on others? At least credit me." Oliver said, his voice becoming louder as he neared them. The others were following close behind.

"It's good advice though, came in handy just now. Why not share it with others?" Kara teased back.

"You're welcome then. Glad I could help." Oliver responded, he sounded partially sarcastic yet sincere at the same time. He turned his attention to Linda, who seemed to be quite down from her loss. "Don't let this get to you, you're young. You have lots of time to experience things. Remember what Kara- your mom, said." As he had corrected himself he saw Kara looked at him. It was bizarre as he heard himself say that, he didn't know why he did so, he just did.

"All right… Thank you." Linda said softly, her voice was quiet and gentle. Throughout the entire time her demeanor had shifted, she wasn't as formal anymore and showed a shyness that was new to them.

Suddenly, a loud alert had gone off again and this time it was coming from Cisco. Everyone turned to look at him and he pulled out a cellular device. They looked at him as he examined his phone and moments later he had a worried look on his face.

"It's Nora, she said there's something strange going on. She wants someone to come check it out." Cisco reported.

"I'll go." Kara said, she was the first one to speak.

"I as well." Oliver chimed in after.

"No, Oliver. It's alright. It doesn't seemed urgent, we don't need everyone to go. Besides I wanna see what lies in the future." Kara said to Oliver.

"And I don't get to see what lies?" Oliver asked.

"I'm just saying, maybe not just one thing needs our attention." Kara answered, she shifted her eyes to Linda as she spoke to Oliver. He followed her gaze and caught wind of her hint. Reluctant as he was, he agreed to stay behind. With that, Kara followed Cisco and William who tagged along. Cisco opened a breach and with that the three were gone. Leaving just Oliver and Linda.

He didn't know where to begin, Kara had done most of the talking, he himself didn't see any concrete lead to begin with. But the more he lingered in his thoughts, he saw the look on Linda's face and it made him want to fix it.

"Hey, is there anyway for this place to accommodate the two of us for a round?" Oliver asked her. She raised her head and it seemed she wasn't expecting him to say anything.

"Um, I think I could set it so we could. Why?" Linda asked back.

"Well, I'm gonna teach you something. Might give you a winning trick against your mom next time." Oliver said, giving her a smile.

"Really…? Ok!" Linda exclaimed, with that, she rushed off to the control room. Oliver turned around as she did so. The smile still on his face.

"She may be a hero, but she's still a kid." Oliver said to himself.

(Earth 1 - Metropolis)

Kara and the other two hopped out of Cisco's breach. They found themselves in a hallway, one that belonged to an apartment. This wasn't where Kara had thought she would land.

"Uh, where exactly are we, Cisco?" Kara asked. Cisco was rummaging and adjusting his gloves.

"Oh, right. Did I mention we're in Metropolis?" Cisco asked back.

"Wait, Metropolis? But isn't that-" Kara had gone on to say but she was cut off.

"Yeah, you're assumption is correct." William answered. So their current location was Metropolis. Kal's home city, at least it is on her Earth. Why were they here? Oliver had said there were no indication of Kryptonians on this Earth.

"Come on, you two!" Cisco shouted, he had gone off and stood by a door. Kara and William hurried off to catch up. They came to a stop and she noticed the number on the door. Apartment 1207. Cisco immediately opened the door and on the other side were two people. One of them was Nora. And next to her, was someone she hadn't seen in some time. Seeing her took Kara by surprise, but eventually she came to grips with it. It was Lois Lane. Kal-El's beloved.

"Wait I thought you said-" Kara said but she was cut off.

"It is her, but not the one you knew. She resides on this Earth." William whispered softly and quickly into Kara. This was Lois Lane, but of Earth-1. Was she the V.I.P they mentioned?

"I've had enough, I first agreed to this arrangement because you told me I was in danger. And now when I got home from work, someone had broken in. I need to know what exactly is going on here!" Lois shouted, her voice was firm and assertive.

"Yeah… Guys. I think they know." Nora said.

"Who does?" Kara asked.

"Superman and The Regime." Nora replied. Kara was dreading the answer but it was true nonetheless. What on Earth is going on with Kal? The same question had popped in Kara's head multiple times.

"Well if that's the case, she shouldn't stay here." Kara said, and it seemed everyone had agreed with her. She looked to Nora and she understood from just her look.

"Wait, what does that mean?"Lois asked. No one answered her.

"Sorry, ma'am, but I have to do this." Nora said. She promptly nodded to everyone and moments later took Lois and rushed away with her.

(Earth 1 - Hall of Justice)

It had been some time since Kara and the others went off. Linda had applied a red sun effect to the arena and levelled the difference between the two. In a short span of time, Oliver had seen all there was to see from their sparring session. In some ways, it felt like fighting himself, if he could even managed that.

"Allow me to ask you, if I can, but why are you always in a counter position?" Oliver asked her. Linda had a puzzled look on her face. She pondered in her thoughts for a while, thinking about the question.

"I… I don't know. It's just always felt the most comfortable." Linda said, giving him an answer.

"I think it's more than that. You seem distant, as if you're… hesitant during your fights." Oliver said. Once again, this left Linda in a state of mind, pondering to herself.

"I don't what it is, father. But maybe, it's because I think that they're going to attack me, it's best to assume that I should always be on the defensive." Linda said.

"And there it lies. The problem you have." Oliver said.

"W-What problem?" Linda asked.

"You assume things. With someone of your abilities that doesn't really factor much when dealing with ordinary people. But against threats like other aliens, you're the just same as everyone else. Just like your mom said about anticipating and control. You also need to learn something. Something an old friend used to tell me. When confronted with such an adversity, there's no giving up to those people. If given the chance, they will act on it. Assumption is the mother of all failures." Oliver said, his words speaking true to her. When he first learned of that, he didn't know what it truly meant until later on. Perhaps Linda can uncover it herself. She seemed to be lost in her thoughts.

A breach had opened and it caught the attention of Oliver and Linda. Also a lightning blazed into the room as well. Out poured the people who had went plus an additional person. They rushed over to greet them. With no time wasted, William and Nora began to explain the situation to everyone. It took awhile but everyone eventually was caught up to speed.

"So that's their objective, to find Lois?" Oliver asked. William nodded to suggest he was correct.

"We thought we could hide her, but that doesn't seem like the best choice now. We'll have to keep her safe for the time being." Nora said. It was a handful of information to get all at once but now it seemed to be making more sense now.

"It's still bizarre to me. All of this. What happened to Kal, to everyone. To us." Kara said, she had been keeping it in but she needed to say it aloud.

"Hang on, what exactly did happen to us?" Oliver asked. Kara turned to Oliver as he asked. He was right, it was something that had been mentioned but they didn't know the specifics.

"Yeah. what happened? Barry's still here and some of our friends are too. But what happened to us?" Kara asked. She voiced this question to everyone. It was then that everyone had a grim look on their faces, especially Linda and William. Moments went on and no one answered until finally Cisco spoke up.

"Uh, I know it piques your curiosity, Oliver and Kara. But it's best that you don't know about that. Y'know, time travel and stuff." Cisco said, putting his best effort to dismiss the situation.

"I get that, but I can't shake off this uneasy feeling. You don't have to tell me persay, just give us some indication." Kara said. Her persistence was indeed coming off strong. The more they tried to dismiss it the more she pressed on it.

"Why don't you show them, then?" a voice asked. Kara turned looked at who it was coming from. It was from Ronnie. It seemed they had returned. He didn't looked as angry as when she first met him.

"Show us what?" Oliver asked. He noticed William turning to Linda and it was clear that it was an uncomfortable topic. William turned back to look at everyone and let out a sigh.

"Alright. Follow me." William said. With that, Kara and Oliver followed William as he led them into another section. They eventually found themselves in a peculiar room. It was filled was till cabinets and antiques of various things. It was almost like a gallery of numerous heroes. They finally came to a stop and they focused their attention to the cabinet. It was then that they saw it. It had been damaged by all means and there was barely any sign of the symbol that should be stuck in the middle of the suit. It was Kara's Supergirl suit.


	18. Fleeting Memories

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The revelation of Kara's Supergirl suit brought a grim look on her future. Clark finalizes his preparations and William uncovers the events of five years ago.

(Earth 38 - Stryker's Island Penitentiary)

The scarlet speedster raced out of the prison, as Clark watched from above. He made not a word but rather just took note of it. After some time, he made his own way inside the prison and deep inside he ventured until he stopped outside Eobard Thawne's cell. His visit gave Eobard a slight shock on his face as he registered Superman's presence in front of him. Slowly, he made his way to the glass panel.

"Well, what reason grants this pleasant meeting?" Eobard asked with sincere curiosity. Clark did not utter anything but stared at Eobard. It seemed he did not care for Eobard's attitude.

"You don't belong here." Clark said finally, his voice was calm and he folded his arms as he spoke.

"That's correct! Never understood why everytime I travel to a time period, the idiots there always resort to locking me up. It has never done any good but make things worse." Eobard retorted, stepping away from the glass. "So why don't you be a good guy and let me out of here." His voice lowered and shifting slighting sinister. Clark on the other hand was not fazed.

"You seem to not understand the situation. Your existence here is troublesome, that's agreeable. However, I don't care what happens to you. Your death is one less for the innocents to concern themselves with." Clark said, his entire demeanour was cold and blunt. Even Eobard had begun to sense the severity of his comment and dropped his act.

"...What's your point?" Eobard asked, finally it seems he understood his place.

"My point being, there's a war coming. In such times unpredictability is the most effective advantage I can have. You... are that card." Clark said.

"You want me to work with you? That's unlikely." Eobard said in response, laughing at the idea that Superman had suggested.

"It's your only option. Die here or act as my insurance." Clark said.

Momentarily he proceeded to unlock Eobard's Cell. Eobard was surprised that he had done so. To do something like that meant that he was either naive or had complete faith in his abilities. Regardless of what it was, he had just opened his cell. Eobard started up his speed force and immediately ran straight towards Superman. However, he was intercepted by the man of steel who grabbed him by the throat. Superman held him in place, Eobard's feet lifted off the ground. With no time wasted, Superman threw him to the opposite side, coming into contact with the wall and then falling onto the floor. This created the downtime needed for Superman to position himself over The Reverse Flash. Clark readied his heat vision and looked down onto Eobard with menacing eyes.

"Should you not heed my orders, then you best be ready to face the consequences. You speedsters may be able to run faster, but I'm much stronger. Don't disappoint me." Leaving his final words with Thawne to contemplate his choice, Clark proceeded out of Stryker's Island to continue with his objective.

(Earth 1 - Hall of Justice - Hero Gallery)

William had brought them to what seemed to be a gallery of the heroes that contributed to The Justice League. He brought their attention to a destroyed suit, one that Kara recognised after looking at it thoroughly, it was the exact suit she had worn. Kara didn't know what to think of it, if she was honest. It was completely puzzling to see something like that and almost immediately, questions begin to flood her mind.

"I'm sure you have realised by now, but that is Supergirl's suit. The one worn by you five years ago." William said, reaffirming what they were looking at.

"W-What happened... did I-?" Kara asked, her mind was jumping from question to question. Each one trying to fight it's way out and wanting to be answered.

"...No." William answered, his response was prompt on and straight forward. The idea that she may have passed and did not seemed to alleviate some weight from Kara's chest.

"Just what happened, William? I'm confused by all this." Oliver said, voicing out his thoughts. He had slightly missed it, but he noticed William dodging to meet him in the eye. It was clear that the topic was highly sensitive.

"It's alright, Will. We can see that it's hard for you talk about. Perhaps someone else could tell us? What about Linda?" Kara asked. The mention of his sister's name lit up his eyes and he looked at them as wide as they could.

"No! Wait!" William shouted in response. Kara didn't expect to get such a reaction from him like that, nor did she ever saw him this shaken. He had demonstrated such a care-free attitude, and to see such a contrast was jarring. "...Don't ask her about it. I'll tell you, just please, don't..." William said, softly, his voice pleading to them. Seeing him in that state, made both Oliver and Kara guilty of asking such a thing. They were reluctant but yet also led on by their own curiosity to uncover what happened. William turned to Cisco who had been watching them and walked over. Slowly, he extended his arm to Cisco.

"You sure about this, William?" Cisco asked, he was wary of his choice, but William had now shown a more resolved look on his face. He nodded in response and suggested his assurance that it was okay. Heeding his permission, Cisco took William's hand and extended his other to the other two. He saw the confusion on their faces. "I can use my powers to show you his memories. I can vibe you back to five years ago." Cisco explained. They had heard of this power from Barry but it was still surreal to experience in person. Regardless, Kara took hold of Cisco's hand and Oliver held onto her other one. They followed his instructions as he laid it out. They closed their eyes. Once closed, the standard black surroundings they were used to warped into a formulated reality.

(2033 - Five Years Ago)

Well, I guess you're seeing into my memories now. I'm not sure where to begin with this. Oh, I think can start with that. Alright, the earliest starting point of all this occurred in 2026. This in regards to Earth-38 and it had been years since the reveal of the president being an alien. This revelation sparked controversy as to be expected, however it was in this year that something happened. There was an assassination attempt on her life, and it succeeded. Her death created an outcry from aliens and supporters across the globe. It did not take long before someone else took her place. Almost immediately the new president invoked a nationwide ban known as the anti-hero act. At this point in time, the military and others had acquired anti-alien technology and they deemed it irrelevant to have heroes anymore. That didn't stop you guys though. In light of all this, The Justice League still maintained their objective of protecting the world. There was a decrease in crimes across the nation. As such, you two and most of the others were able to live normal lives.

With that in mind, I guess the first point in time you should know about before the downfall, was right around Linda's 13th birthday. It was about a week before it and in all honesty... it was the last happy moment I can remember. Those seven days, feel like a distant memory now.

(2033 - Earth 1 - Central City University)

The door slammed opened to Physics 1007, I rushed down the stairs, past all the vacant seats in the auditorium. I finally reached Professor Allen's table and was able to catch my breath.

"Late again, William?" Barry asked, he had packed his briefcase and was about to leave.

"Sorry, Professor! I ran into an old woman and she needed my help-" I said, telling the reason why I was late. I panted, trying to calm down.

"This story, again? What makes this now, the 20th one?" Barry asked again, he did not seemed pleased. He then let out a sigh. "Alright... give me your paper." I was surprised but so happy he decided to give me a chance. I did as he said and gave him my paper.

I stood there for several minutes, pacing around the room, my heart beating fast as I watched him read my paper. Finally, he had finished and I couldn't hold my anticipation for his answer.

"It was amazing. I'm glad you found a passion in physics, William. Keep this up, and you'll make it out here." Barry said, his words of praise gave me a huge relief and so much joy. "But listen to me, Will. You're a good kid, a kid that always comes late to my class, but nonetheless a good kid. I still remember the first day you arrived at CCU. My shock to discover my old friend's kid studying under me. Never saw Oliver as a scientist kind of guy." Barry had gone on to say. He sounded very reminiscent.

"The two of you were my idols growing up, I couldn't wait to learn from you!" I exclaimed, my excitement reached to him and he gave me a smile. Professor Allen then lowered in his head as if he lost in his thoughts. He looked back up at me and looked at me deeply.

"We won't always be around, William. They'll come a time in your life where won't be there and you have to take care of yourself." Barry said, his tone shifting to a serious sincerity. Those words he left me gave me an ominous feeling.

"W-where this all coming from, Professor?" I asked him. He responded with a slight chuckle.

"Don't worry, I'm just rambling. Go on, get out of here." Barry said.

I didn't know what to do, but I decided to comply anyway. It felt quite awkward leaving things at that.

"Oh, there's a get to together tonight. Dad and mom are hosting, perhaps you'd like to come, professor?" I asked him. I had totally blanked on the matter but thank goodness I remembered.

"Ah, I'm afraid I can't. I'm quite busy with papers to grade tonight. I gave yours an exclusive marking ahead of time. You go and enjoy. Tell them I said hi," Barry said.

It was kinda disappointing he couldn't make it, but I understand. I turned around and had reached the door before he hailed me again.

"Oh, I had almost forgot. Take care of your sister, William. Take care of her." Barry said. He had made sure to emphasise that.

"Thanks, Professor Allen." I said before finally exiting the room.

I pulled out my phone from my pocket and looked at the time. It was 90 minutes until it was going down. Realising this, I made haste for the party.

(Earth 38 - Midvale)

I hopped through the breach, thanks to the extrapolator my dad had given me. It was still amazing to me, the notion of jumping through Earths like that. I had only been in Midvale for some time since I had gone off to University, but I did come around to visit. This was mom's adoptive parent's home when she was younger. After her mother had passed however, Aunt Alex had inherited the house but she decided to give it her sister instead. Ever since then, Mom moved out back to Midvale to raise Linda with Dad.

I neared the house and spotted a man and woman near the front door. I recognised them as I neared, it was Clark Kent and Lois Lane. I caught up with them and we exchanged greetings. Mr. Kent approached the door and knocked on it. Mom was the one to answer it.

"You guys made it! Oh, and hey Will! Did you guys catch up?" Kara asked, she had an apron on and I assumed she had been busy in the kitchen. Most likely, with Dad nearby helping, the best he can. Linda came running to the door when she heard it opening.

"Sure did. Man, it's great to be back here. Hey, little sis."I said, and I addressed the last part to Linda. She came in and gave me a hug and I hugged her back.

"Hi, Will! I missed you!" Linda exclaimed, her smile beaming to me. I could not help but smile as well. Her positivity rubbed off on everyone as well.

"Oh my, look at you Linda! I haven't you seen in some time and you've grown already! I heard your birthday's coming up, how old will you be turning?" Clark asked, he too had a smile on his face.

"Thank you, Uncle Clark! I am getting taller! I'll be 13!" Linda exclaimed.

"Oh my, you're just adorable, dear. Those earrings are beautiful too." Lois said, her compliment made Linda blush red.

"Thanks, although I don't really like red..." Linda said, she sounded grateful but a tad sad at the colour of choice.

With the introductions out of the way, everyone went inside. Everyone settled in and made themselves comfortable and caught up with one another. I had gone off and talked with Linda and see how she was doing. Meanwhile I overheard Dad and Mr. Kent talking.

"You still haven't told her yet?" Clark asked.

"No, it's not time yet." Oliver responded.

"I can understand with how the way things are, how hard it must be." Clark added, showing his sympathy to Oliver.

"It is. Making the choice was much harder. I really didn't want this. But for her safety, it's the best option we have. Kara was against it initially, but she came to understand the good intentions I had and now she's onboard." Oliver said.

"I can respect that. I don't know what I would do, if put in the same position." Clark said.

"Oh? But from what I've heard, isn't that becoming a reality soon? Lois is pregnant isn't she?" Oliver asked.

"Heh, yes." Clark answered softly, his voice quite shy but he had a smile on his face.

"Thought of a name?" Oliver asked.

"I have a few in mind. Just curious, what do you think my son's name would be?" Clark asked. He had just dropped the gender just like that. It took Oliver by surprise.

"Son? I... Well... there is one name I've sort of had. One I thought if I ever had a son again, I would name him... Connor." Oliver answered him. When he said that name, it struck a chord within Clark.

"Connor..." Clark muttered the name softly. He once again drew a smile on his face, "I like it." Oliver was surprised at Clark's response. He had taken a liking to the name.

"Now we've got a Superman AND a Superboy." Oliver added in, chuckling as he said so. The name was quite sudden but it did have a nice ring to it. Oliver's joke made Clark laugh as well. After a while, the laughter settled down.

"You know, I never imagined I could have reached this point in my life. I got the woman of my dreams and a family coming. This love I have for them, it's hard to put into words but I'd do anything for them."

"I understand the feeling. It's the same with Kara and my children. Not a thing I wouldn't do for my wife and those two." Oliver said in addition.

"Right. Let's hope there never comes a time where we must worry, or worse lose them. I can't imagine what I'd do without them..." Clark said, his inner thoughts voice aloud. He could see his sentiment shared by Oliver. It was an honest moment between the two men.

"When are you going to tell Bruce?" Oliver asked.

"Ah, Bruce. Well I plan on saving him for last. I plan to make him the godfather. No offense." Clark said.

"Heh, none taken. You two have known each other the longest. He deserves it." Oliver said, ushering him a smile. Clark began to laugh and in turn so did Oliver. The two men headed back to the dining room to conviene with the others.

The night went by in a blur, Fun and laughter was had that night, one I wouldn't ever forget. It these fleeting memories that drive me, that I wish we could return to. Not the nightmare that was to come.

(Earth 38 Metropolis - The Tragedy)

At this point, it had been 4 days since that night. I had decided to remain on this Earth for a while for my break. I mean, i worked my ass of for that paper, so that was my justification for doing so. I had thought it wouldn't be anything other than peace and quiet. That was sure to be disproven.I had chosen not to follow my parents in becoming a hero. But those events of that tragedy reached everyone. It would forever change many lives that witness it.

There was a murder reported later that night near the docks. Superman still looked out for Metropolis despite the ban. However when he arrived he found James Olson, a dear friend of his, on his knees and in distress over the body. As he got near, he recognised them, it was Lucy Lane. James' ex girlfriend and Lois's sister.

"James? W-What happened here?" Clark asked, his voice full of concern. James turned around and recognised his friend who had arrived. Tears had streamed from his eyes and he had a distraught look on his face.

"I- I don't know... Lucy, she called me... said she was in danger... and that Lois was with her." James spoke, he struggled to get the words out but he managed anyway. Clark remembered that Lucy had wanted to spend some time with her sister, never did he imagine that this evening would turn out like this. But now, something even more pressing became alarming to him. By her body, there a piece of paper. A note that showed green eyes and red lipstick drawn as a deranged smile, like a clown. It didn't take long for Clark to realise who the culprit was.

"James! Where did they go?! Where did the Joker take her?! He has my wife and child! James!" Clark shouted at James, he had placed his arms on him and started to shake him.

"I'm sorry, Clark. I don't know." James responded, saddened that he could not help him. Clark let go of him and rose to his feet. Panic had started to overwhelm him. Right now, Lois and Connor were with Joker. He hoped beyond anything that they would not come to harm.

"James, head to the police and give your statement." Clark said, turning his back to him and was preparing to take off.

"Where are you going, Clark?" James asked, he had started to grow concern. Clark was never usually this agitated.

"What do you think? I'm going to find them." Clark answered. With that, he took off, leaving James behind and began his search for his family.

The rest of the night, Superman spent it searching for Lois and his son. He searched every inch of Metropolis, canvasing every building on land. His efforts led him nowhere and it did not help with how worried he had become. The following day arrived and Clark had become desperate. He summoned the Justice League from across both Earths, seeking those who could provide immediate aid. Barry and Oliver rushed over from Earth-1. Bruce had flown over from Gotham. Diana also came to his aid. Kara had wanted to come but Oliver insisted she stay with Linda. Reluctant to not help her cousin, but she understood. Clark relaid what had happened to the other members and in no time, each one spread across Metropolis to find Lois.

Barry raced around Metropolis, heeding the advice from Oliver. It was then he found something interesting. Another corpse and one that belonged to Scarecrow. Barry brought Oliver with him to examine the body. They called in with Bruce who was using the super computer to track things within the city. It was then that Bruce had concluded that he too had been taken by the Joker. Why had he taken Scarecrow's life? Two lives in one night, what was The Joker planning?

An hour later, Diana called in to report another lead she had found. She went to the docks and extracted information that a Submarine had been stolen last night. The owner of the docks claimed it was a clownish man and a nurse with ponytails. Bruce piece it together and knew it was him. With this new lead, Bruce relayed it to Clark. It was clear now why they hadn't found him, he was hiding underwater. Clark heading for the waterfront and instantly found a submarine hidden deep below. He forced his way into the submarine and found the two of them next to Lois.

"Lois! It's over, Joker!" Clark shouted, he was mixed between relief from seeing Lois again and anger from the sight of The Joker. There was green gas surrounding him, he had failed to notice that the Joker had hit him with one of his gas. Clark fell to the ground, dazzlement and confusion overcame him. Once he had recovered, he was welcomed by another foe. Doomsday had now stood before him. There was no time to assess the situation, Doomsday was the bigger threat and he had to be taken care of. Superman charged into Doomsday and used his super strength to carry with him out of the submarine. He needed a quick defeat, one that can be achieved by draining him of oxygen.

The Joker and Harley were left there by themselves. It was obvious Superman had prioritise something else, so the two of them made their escape. They reached land but didn't make it far before Barry came in and restrained them. Bruce, Oliver and Diana shortly arrived afterwards.

"What are you planning? Talk!" Oliver demanded, he readied his bow and threatened the two of them.

"Answer now!" Bruce added in, there was no time for games.

"Calm yourself, Bats. It's really straightforward. There's a warhead hidden in Metropolis and it's been rigged to explode if Ms. Lane's heart rate reaches zero. And then... BOOM!" The Joker answered, his grin ever more prominent.

"And why would that be the case?" Diana asked, she didn't seemed to see the correlation. Bruce had however had taken Joker's comment and started to think. Just now, Clark had rocketed out of the submarine at top speed and was heading for out of space. Then there was the corpse of scarecrow. Perhaps Joker had taken his fear toxin and mixed it with his own. If it was laced with Kryptonite, it could then be inhaled by a Kryptonian. But if that's the case, then it's highly likely that... He cut his train of thought and reached for his comms.

"Clark! Listen to me you have to stop, you've been infected with the fear toxin. You're not seeing right, right now!" Bruce shouted, everyone stared in shock. Joker was the only one to continue laughing.

(Earth 38 - Midvale)

As all this was happening, I had remained in Midvale, unaware of anything. It was then I was surprised when Nora had rushed in, taking me by surprise. She didn't me any time to compose myself.

"Willy! Thank god you're here! I need your help, where's my dad?!" Nora asked, her voice was full of urgency.

"W-What? I don't know. What's wrong, Nora?" I asked her.

"We were in the middle of something when he suddenly told me that he had to leave. Something was off about the way he said it and now I'm looking for him." Nora explained.

"Ah, I see. He has been pretty cryptic lately. He spoke to me a bit odd as well." I told her, it was true that Barry had been acting a bit weird.

"What'd he say exactly?" Nora asked.

"Uh... something about taking care of my sister and him not being around." I told her, she took what I said and contemplated to herself.

"This is all so strange! Maybe he knows something... where's Lin?" Nora asked.

"Well I was planning on throwing a surprise party for Lin. Mom took my advice and decided to show her around the Daily Planet." I recollected.

"So they're in Metropolis?! We have to find them, something feels not right about this." Nora said.

"I mean sure, it's a bit weird. But aren't you jumping to conclusions pretty quick here, Nora?" I asked her.

"I might. But it's better to be safe than sorry. If I'm wrong then fine, but we need to find them and my dad!" Nora exclaimed, she seemed pretty convinced about everything she was saying. I decided to follow her idea. She took me by the arm and we proceeded for Metropolis.

(Earth 38 - Metropolis)

We reached Metropolis after a while. The city was huge and expansive. So this was the city under the watch of Superman. My time to admire was limited however as we made haste for the Daily Planet. We managed to locate Linda who was by herself in Mr. Kent's office.

"Lin! W-where's mom?!" I asked her, Mom was nowhere in sight. Did she leave her here?

"Mother said she would be back in a bit, said I should wait here and not leave." Linda answered. She didn't seem to have any idea of what was going on. Nora had explored the office whilst I was talking to Linda and she had found something. I raced over to see what she had found. It was a message from Mr. Kent that was directed to a few people, some names that I recognised as mine and Nora's dad. It was then I started to feel anxious. Something was happening right now and it most certainly did not feel right. I decided to write to a note, explaining I had taken Linda, in case mom came back.

"Lin, we have to get out of here." I told her, grabbing her by the arm.

"Huh? W-What's going on, Will? We have to wait for Mother to come back." Linda asked me, she was confused at my sudden action.

"She's... busy right now. It's better if we leave now, I told her I got you." I said, but Linda didn't want to budge.

"What are you talking about? She just went off somewhere and she'll be back." Linda said, the situation was starting to get a bit tense.

"Please! Just trust me! We have to go." I told her, pleading for her to follow me, but still she decline. It was then, Nora grabbed me by the shoulder.

"You should tell her the truth." Nora said, it wasn't what I had expected her to say. Both mine and Linda's eyes shot wide open.

"What truth?" Linda asked, she started to show signs of worry and doubt. It was honestly the worst position to be in right now. It wasn't my place to tell her. It was something Dad and Mom had decided long ago. Ever since the anti-hero act was enacted, they hid who she was in the hopes she could live a normal life.

"You have a right to know who you are, Lin. Who you parents are and what you are." Nora said, she had spoken from her heart and offered nothing but sincerity as she spoke. Things were definitely escalating at an absurd rate but even I too felt like it was the right thing to do. Once more, I looked at Linda again. Took a deep breath and readied myself.

"Forgive me, Linda. We never intended any harm by doing this." I said, I turn to look at Nora and nodded as a signal. She moved in on Linda and grabbed her earrings. One in each hand and then simultaneously destroyed them. It was done, the one thing that had held her true self down had now been removed. Her life will now be forever different.

Linda had a scared look on her face as Nora approached, I couldn't blame her, she had no idea what was going on. When the earrings had been removed however, she started to feel something, something had begun to stir inside her. The sunlight reached from the outside, past the windows and into the office. It radiated on her skin. She picks up her hand and looks at them.

"W-Wha... what is this?!" Linda shouted, she was in shock in the sudden change. At the same time, she was also experiencing an inner change and she could feel herself feeling stronger and better than she ever had been in her entire life. Nora and I exchanged looks, there was a slight regret coupled with an uncertainty.

"Lin... you are the daughter of The Green Arrow and Supergirl. Those are the names our parents have donned for a long time." I told her. Linda lifted her head from examining herself and looked at me in shock. Shortly after a slight realisation came over her face.

"I knew it... I didn't know for certain, but I always had a feeling. All those times I told mother how she was my Supergirl, now this changes everything." Linda said, she drew a smile on her face, it had been some time since I saw her smile. This realisation must have put some suspicions she had to rest. There was so much to explain, so much to tell her, about Mom and Dad. We never got the chance at that time.

All of a sudden there was enormous explosion that erupted. It was something I had never seen on the scale of. It's sudden disruption took us all by surprise, the explosive wave had about reached us when Nora reacted quickly and rushed us out of the Daily Planet.

(Metropolis - Outer Space)

Clark had risen above Earth and exited the atmosphere. He heard Bruce's comms just in time and the effects seemed to worn off. He started to calm down and regained his balance. What Bruce had told him sunk his heart. It could not have been Lois that he charged off with. But there she laid, her body had ran out of oxygen and floated lifelessly. The horror of his actions came to him instantly. Tears began to well up in eyes. He x-rayed her but heart had stopped.

"N-No... Oh god... What I have I done?! LOIS!" Clark cried, rushing to her and holding her in his arms.

Her heart rate had reached zero and so, like The Joker had stated, a nuclear warhead was set off in Metropolis. The Justice League members who were on the ground had been taken by surprise. Bruce enacted an emergency protocol and swiftly everyone shifted their efforts to protecting Metropolis.

"We'll leave it up to them. Bruce, let's deal with Harley and Joker." Oliver said to Bruce. The two of them came to the same conclusion. Right now, there was a crisis, but still they needed to focus on their priorities. As Metropolis was in a dire situation, they headed for Gotham to further interrogate them.

Meanwhile, Nora, Linda and myself had gotten to safety on the outskirts. Nora had acted quickly and saved us. We turned back to look at Metropolis and the destruction caused by the warhead had taken a huge portion of the city.

"Oh my god... this is terrible." Nora said, clasping her hands by her mouth. It was horrible the sight that was before us. "...We have to help as well!" She shouted.

"Are you crazy? We can't do anything about that." I said.

"Me and Lin can. We have powers." Nora said, she looked to Linda as she said so. Linda was still in shock from everything.

"Okay, I'll give it to you, Nora. But Lin just got hers. She doesn't know how to control them." I said.

"We don't have time to argue about this, Willy. We can't just let this go, people could be dying." Nora said, she was right in her stance, but I just couldn't let Linda go like that.

"Dying...? Um... please, let me help." Linda said finally, her voice was quiet

"I'll be with her. You should head back to Earth-1 and tell the others what's happening." Nora said. As much as I was against the idea, Linda's abilities would be greatly beneficial right now.

"Alright, take care of her. Be careful, Lin." I said, I hoped with all I had that they would be alright.

"I will." Linda replied, ushering me a smile. It was uncertain but she seemed to be trying her hardest with coping with everything. With that said, the two of them started running towards the middle of the explosion.

(Metropolis - Ruins)

Clark had descended from outer space and made it back to the land. He held Lois tightly in his arms and let out his pain through tears. He couldn't believe that this was reality. That Lois and his child had been killed and it was by his hand. An immense wave of anger, confusion and shock overwhelmed Clark. The people he held dearest to him were now gone, left him all alone in this world. What was going to happen now, what was he going to do now? All Lois wanted was a world without fighting. A world filled with peace. But people like Joker robbed them of that dream, of that world, of that life. Why do people like him live and those innocent pay the price? It was unfair. He could've prevented this. He can still prevent this.

Diana had searched far and wide, until her search found him. It was as Bruce had deduced, Clark was tricked into killing Lois. As she landed, a cold look was greeted her by Clark. What was he thinking about, she wondered. He began walking to her, carrying Lois in his arms and then handed Lois to her. She accepted it, but was scared of his silence.

"Take care of them, Diana." Clark said and in no time, he took of at top speed. Diana was left to wonder where he was going.

Barry had also started to look for Clark and eventually spotted him flying and raced faster to match him.

"Where's Joker, Barry?" Clark asked, his voice had quite an aggression and annoyance. Barry was offsetted by Clark's demeanour but answered him regardless.

"He's in Gotham. I think Ollie and Bruce are interrogating him." Barry answered. As soon as he heard the answer he took off for Gotham.

(Gotham - GCPD)

It had been sometime since the nuke went off in Metropolis. Oliver and Bruce brought in The Joker for interrogation. Oliver handled Harley whilst Bruce took on Joker. Bruce had tried every angle but not a thing would get Joker to talk. Irritated at how things were progressing, Bruce applied more aggression towards Joker. His efforts led nowhere as Joker expressed nothing towards the matters at hand. It was then that walls of the interrogation room was busted open. Bruce turned to see what was the cause and saw that it was Clark. He had anger all over his face and his presence did not mean well.

"Clark, calm yourself. I know it's hard-" Bruce said, trying to calm his friend down. But Clark ignored him and moved swiftly past him towards Joker. With no warning or indication, he thrusts his hand through Joker with all his anger powering it.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi everyone, I thought I add more commentary to the chapters and give you on my thoughts on the story. This has definitely been more of a challenge than my first arc. My idea of the backstory for Linda and William was to create something that shone more light on how they became heroes as well as showcase the downfall of Superman. I don't know how you feel about the backstory but it should be done in 2 chapters. I understand if you're just here for the Ollie and Kara ship story, but I feel this explores another side of that relationship than just the happy moments. I do love writing that stuff, don't get me wrong, but I feel there can be more to that relationship that we would ever see in the shows. Me personally, I'm loving every single bit of this. I hope you share the same sentiments, if not that's cool, the grand scheme is pretty awesome too. That's all I have to say, would you be more keen to see more of my inputs?


	19. Crossroads and Sacrifice

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The loss of Lois Lane has changed Superman, more than he could account for. The backstory of Linda and William continues and things are certainly on the line.

(4/10/2033 - Metropolis)

In one swift motion, the entire population of Metropolis was flipped upside down. The nuke that was detonated took with it most of the city as well. The Justice League had adjusted it's priorities towards saving the civilians that were trapped throughout the city. Supergirl flew through Metropolis, she saw destroyed buildings and caved in pavements all around. It was a sight unlike any other, how she wished things hadn't turned to this. Nonetheless, she knew what she had to do, things were simply unavoidable.

Linda had started sprinting, her emotions kicked into overdrive as she was welcomed by her newfound abilities. She didn't know what she was doing, but her heart was telling her that there were people that needed help and she wanted to help them. She raced alongside Nora, the two speeding ahead with their powers towards the danger that lie ahead. Linda's ears suddenly were filled with screams of terror. The volume fluctuated from low to loud rapidly. She grabbed her ears in response. Nora noticed her reaction, it seemed she was still coping with her powers. It was then they spotted something in the distance that caught their attention and made their way towards it. It was a bus, filled with people inside. It had toppled over on it's side and it was most likely a result of what was on top of it. A large gorilla stood atop, roaring into the windows and causing panic to the civilians.

"A gorilla…?" Linda muttered to herself, she didn't know what to make of the situation. It was quite surreal to her, to see a gorilla in the midst of all this. She didn't have time to ponder the thought any longer when a group of armed soldiers approached the gorilla.

"Stop right there, Grodd!" an armed soldier ordered towards the Gorilla. Their presence caused him to cease his actions and he turned to greet them. They pointed their weapons towards him and kept eye contact. Grodd did not seemed fazed by their threat.

"Things are pretty wack right now, but we should go help those people." Nora said. She was right, Linda thought, things were pretty surreal but none of that mattered. She turned her head to look at Nora and gave her a nod.

With that, the two girls sped off towards the bus. Since it was on it's side the entrance was now on the top. They examined the front, trying to find a way to get inside but it was no use.

"Lin, can you lift it up?" Nora asked, Linda turned to her in shock. She turned to look at her hands and remembered what they said about her. That she was the daughter of Supergirl. The thought that she too now had those abilities was jarring. How could she be as capable as her? Could she even doing this? These thoughts fluttered her mind. "Lin! Why are you spacing out?" Nora asked, her voice filled with urgency. It was enough to snap her back.

Linda began to place her fingers under the bus and tried to lift the bus up. She put all of her might into and used it to fuel her action, but it was no use. The bus was not turned around, finally noticing them. He let off a snide laugh at seeing Linda's struggle.

"Pitiful little girl, your valiant efforts have led you nowhere. What are you trying to do?" Grodd asked, mocking Linda and Nora as a result.

"Stop, Grodd! Not another word! You're coming with us!" an armed soldier shouted, aiming their guns at him. Grodd turned back to look at them, an annoyance covered all over his face.

"...Silence!" Grodd shouted, his piercing gaze directed towards the soldiers. After Grodd's loud response the soldiers' demeanour suddenly changed. It was as if a spell had been casted over them. "You have tremendous confidence in those weapons of yours. True, they have now been imbued with anti-alien technology, but that is nothing in the face of Grodd!" He roared.

"Lin, what's wrong?" Nora asked, she started to grow worried. It was to be expected, Linda couldn't get the bus to move. Why were her powers not working? Aren't they supposed to work now? She needed them to work so that she can save those people. She has to save them. Again, she tried but to no avail.

"I… My powers, they're not working…" Linda said softly, she had started to get anxious, the more she stalled, the more things were getting worse. Grodd let out a loud roar and it drew the two's attention. They still had no way of dealing with him yet and now the soldiers were dead silent.

"There is more I need to accomplish. Those humans will pay for imprisoning me in such hell. Humans have always been inferior to me, to my species. Just look at these fools, one word and now they are mine to control." Grodd spoke, his words enlighten them on the situation. Somehow he had turned them to his side, like some sort of mind control.

"Yeah, so what? Let's see you try and stop me!" Nora shouted and started running towards him. She had gotten about halfway towards him when suddenly she stopped. Her face was now the same as the soldiers. Was she under his control? Not a moment later, Grodd directed his gaze towards Linda. His stare delved deep into her soul. Her limbs began to feel numb and her mind had gone blank. She couldn't think or move and all she could hear was Grodd's voice inside her head. The thought that she longer had control over her body instilled within her tremendous fear.

"Such naivete. Your minds are young and fragile. Hardly a feat for me to assert my command. Now, you imbeciles, get rid of them!" Grodd ordered with a roar. His commands were followed and the soldiers turned their aim to the two girls. They stood there as weapons were being pointed at them and they had no way of escaping. They felt helpless in their current state and they fear their impending doom. It was then that it happened. A gust of wind rushed past the armed soldiers, consequently disarming them and laid them on the floor. The next moment, Linda's vision blurred for a slight second before regaining reality. That was not all, her thoughts and body was once hers again. They turned to look at their savior, and there they stood, proudly embodying the S on their chest. It was Supergirl.

"Looks like I was just in the nick of time." Kara said, giving the two of them a smile. She then focused her attention to Linda. She stared at her for awhile as she did so.

"Moth-..." Linda said under breath, but got cut off as she stared at Kara.

"You two okay?" Kara asked them.

"Yeah, thanks!" Nora answered, expressing her gratitude. Linda gave a nod as well to suggest she was as well. Their answer gave her a sigh of relief and moments after what seemed to have been Kara pondering in her thoughts, she turned around towards Grodd.

"Hmph, the Kryptonian who refers to herself as Supergirl. I have been wanting to get my revenge." Grodd said, he stared angrily at Kara's presence.

"You remember me, Grodd? Makes me happy! But really now, picking fights with children? I thought you were supposed to be an intellectual being." Kara remarked towards him, which caused the reaction she was expecting from him. He let off a roar towards her, just like the ones he projected at Linda and Nora. But Kara was unfazed by his actions. It didn't even seemed to have an effect on her. "After our last fight, I made sure I wouldn't fall for that ever again."

"You've developed a resistance to my mind control, huh?" Grodd asked, he seemed perplexed at how she waved it off.

Kara did not respond but instead turned her head to look at the two girls.

"I know you have many questions right now, but we need to focus. Lives are on the line. Can you two get to the civilians?" Kara asked.

"I- I can't… my powers didn't work for me…" Linda answered, recalling her last attempt. The reminder that she wasn't able to help then made her feel bad. Kara turned around and walked over to Linda and got down on one knee. She placed both her hands on Linda's shoulders and looked at her deeply.

"You're scared, Linda and that's alright. It's good to be afraid, it makes you more cautious and attentive to your surroundings. But listen to me, you need to calm yourself and free your mind. It's getting to your head and that's what's blocking your abilities. Have faith in yourself, honey. I know I do." Kara said, speaking to her with a smile. In all the time she was telling her that she smiled at her. She always seemed so positive and that's probably what motivates her. And now, she had in faith in Linda, that thought took over Linda's mind. The tension began to simmer down and Linda followed her mother's advice, ushering her with a smile. Kara got back on her feet. "Are we ready?" She asked them.

Linda looked towards Nora and saw that those words also resonated with her in a way.

"Yeah!" They responded in unison. Upon hearing their reply, Kara resumed her position.

"Alright then, on my signal, you two go rescue the civilians!" Kara shouted.

"... What about you?" Nora asked.

"I'll handle Grodd." Kara answered. The two were surprised as Grodd seemed troublesome to deal with but her confidence made them feel less worried. "Now, ready… Go!"

At Kara's command, the two rushed off once more towards the bus and Kara straight for Grodd and his new goons. As they neared the bus, the screams of the people became ever more prominent again and made them act with more haste. Linda took a deep breath and relaxed herself. She placed her fingers under the bus and tried once more. This time, it moved and slowly she began to lift it up.

"Whoa… she already took out the soldiers. Grodd's next…" Nora said in awe as she watched Supergirl fight.

"Nora, eyes over here! Get ready!" Linda shouted as she grunted. She had finally gotten the bus back on it's wheels. Nora noticed everything and made haste to get the doors open. Once they were, the two girls began moving quickly, escorting them all to safety. Back and forth they went until finally everyone was secure. Nora sped off ahead back to where Kara was whilst Linda remained to give an assuring message to the civilians. After she was done, she sped off as well to Nora.

LInda came to a stop by Nora and was in awe of what was unfolding before her. Supergirl had thrown Grodd into the air and had thrown a series of punches and kicks into him. She then flew around and position herself above him and plummeted into him at full speed. She carried him at full force, coming into contact with the ground, creating a crater around him. Kara landed beside him.

"Dang…" Linda uttered, she stood in awe as Supergirl defeated Grodd, she displayed such skill and precision. Grodd stood no chance against her.

"You got that right." Nora chimed in, she too was in the same boat as Linda.

"Don't worry Grodd, I promise my sister will take better care of you." Kara said as she looked at him. He was barely hanging on to his conscious as he heard it then passed out. Kara then looked to the two girls who had been staring at her. She gave them a nod to tell them it was okay.

"She knows now… I guess it was inevitable. What are we going to do about this, Ollie…?" Kara muttered to herself. A can of worms had been unleashed in the midst of this crisis. For the time being she was relieved they hadn't done anything too drastic, but perhaps taking on a mind controlling Gorilla probably fits that.

(Fortress of Solitude)

It was done. The Joker had been killed. There were questions on whether what Clark did was right but nonetheless the deed had been carried out. Clark zoomed out of GCPD right after and found refuge at the Fortress of Solitude. It was here he was able to find a solitary moment to himself, to grieve. He tried to the best of his abilities to mourn his wife and child, but alas he could not. He realised that others out there were grieving their own losses. One of them may have been removed but there were still plenty monsters out there. For so long he longed for a peaceful world, but as long as people like Joker exists, that could not be a reality. He played the high road, believing in the best and wanting people to change. That got Lois and Conner killed. Not anymore. He needed to change. To change the way he did things. If they can't understand reason, then force it will be. After what seemed to have been days spent there realizing this new goal, Clark emerges from the Fortress and heads on back to the world.

(Earth 1 - Star City)

I had split off from Linda and Nora, making my way back to Earth 1. The only thing I had in mind was to tell the heroes of Earth-1 what was happening. The breach brought me to Star City. It had been some time since I was here, I moved to Central City in pursuit of my studies but it was nice to be home. There wasn't a moment for me to take in the sights before I got bumped into by two people. It was a man and a woman who both looked young, most likely a bit younger than I was. They seemed panicked and anxious.

"Oh, sorry man. We didn't see you there." the man said, he was trying to catch his breath, so did the other woman.

"Don't worry about it. Why the rush, is everything alright?" I asked them. The woman was about to answer when the man stopped her. He pulled her aside and spoke in a whisper. It was apparent he was trying to hide something. The woman argued back and ultimately won the dispute.

"We… were being targeted by certain people. They found where we were and I thought that was it for us. But then, a woman came and saved us. She wore black and had an eye mask. She had this ability that let off loud screams or something. She told us to run and that led us here." the woman explained. She seemed to be genuine and had no reason to make up that story. The person they described sounded familiar to me, someone I've known before.

"I'm sorry, by any chance, would you describe those screams like a cry? One of that of a canary?" I asked. They pondered my question for a bit, thinking deeply about the incident.

"I think so. I guess." the man replied, he sounded a bit unsure. The connection of similarity was all I needed.

"So it's her… guess she's back in town." I said.

"Her? Do you know her? We would love to thank her!" the woman exclaimed.

"Sort of. Don't know what I would really consider her. I'm sorry.. I've been talking about myself, my name is William." I said, my formality led them to follow as well.

"Oh, right, excuse us as well. My name is Martina Jackson, and he's-" Martina said, introducing herself.

"Ronald. Ronald Stein. Hm... honestly Tina, you're really too trusting." Ronald chimed in. Once I had heard their names, another familiarity was connected.

"Wait, did you say your name was Martina?" I asked her to clarify.

"Yes." Martina replied promptly.

"Oh my god, you're Jefferson's kid… and you... your grandpa was Martin. My parents knew them back in the day." I said, my excitement on the realisation of their identities couldn't be contained.

"How did you-?" Ronald asked, the two of them looked confused.

"It's a long story. But now I know who you two are. What you are. Yeah, it's definitely not safe, especially with the anti-metahuman act in place. Where are you guys headed?" I asked.

"Um… they raided our home, so… nowhere." Martina answered. It was as I expected.

"If that's the case. You should head to Helix. It's a reformed underground refuge for metas like you. Tell Dinah Drake William sent you, she'll know." I said, they seemed confused at my proposal at first, but came around. I gave them the location of the place and after a few words they were on their way.

It wasn't part of the plan, but I met some interesting individuals that day. But alas, I made haste and resumed my goal to find the others.

(Earth 38 - Hall of Justice - 8/11/2033 [4 Days Laters])

It had been several days since Superman killed Joker. It did not take long for word to spread. The Justice League spent their efforts to control the situation and to locate Clark. Their energy was spread too thin and not everything was achieved. The members were called in for a meeting to discuss their next plan of action. Green Arrow, Supergirl, Flash, Batman and Wonder Woman assembled in the meeting hall.

"We still no have pinpoint location of Clark?" Bruce asked.

"None. I've consulted all of our allies and acquaintances and none have a clue." Oliver replied first.

"I've check everywhere we know he frequents, but nothing either." Barry chimed in.

"Perhaps not every place. There is the Fortress." Kara said, the mention of it drew everyone's attention.

"Ah, that would explain why Barry couldn't find him. He's not even in America." Oliver said.

"But why hide there?" Barry asked.

"He's obviously grieving, Barry. He did lose Lois and Conner that day…" Kara said, her voice had a sadness in it.

"And yet we're left to handle all this. Why did he step over the line…? Why Clark?" Bruce muttered to himself. He had been distressed over his friend.

"It was extreme. Quite the brutality he went with for Joker." Diana chimed in.

"But what about what we believed in? Kal and I wear these symbols on our chest to tell everyone that we stand for the good of others. I just…how did this become a reality?" Kara asked, her concern was evident in her voice.

"Maybe what he did was what we needed." Diana said, upon finishing everyone stared at her with open eyes.

"You serious, D? We're talking about killing someone here." Barry retorted, it seemed Diana had taken a sensitive stance on the matter.

"I know the severity of what the issue is. But seeing it from his shoes, the circumstances that were forced on him, I understand why he did it." Diana said. There was some merit in her words, placed in that situation, it'd be hard to decide what you would do.

"Hold it. There's something urgent popping up." Bruce said, he had turned his attention to his comms. Momentarily he brought down a monitor and displayed what caught his eye. It was an emergency news broadcast. It was of the UN and Superman stood in front. It seemed he was holding a press conference. Everyone turned their attention to the monitor.

(United Nations Press Conference)

"My name is Clark Kent and I was a reporter for the Daily Planet." Clark started his speech, he opened with his identity and that was enough for the world to glue themselves in.

"You may have heard of what has happened in Metropolis and the tragedy that has befallen it. I have only one thing to say about that incident - and that is I am tired of all this fighting and the hostilities that has consumed this world. It matters to me not where you are from or what you believe in. Whether you're in a position of power or a common thug who terrorize others. None of you have the right to take innocent lives. For that reason, from today forward, I am announcing a worldwide ceasefire, effective immediately. Should you fail to follow this, I will stop you. Do not test me. It's over."

The world stood in silence as he spoke, they had no idea where to proceed from his declaration. Clark did not wait for their answer, he made his point and that was more than enough. He had more pressing concerns to deal with. To ensure that innocent lives will never be threatened again.

(Hall of Justice)

Clark's declaration of a ceasefire was broadcasted worldwide, everyone across the globe had heard what he had to say and that included the Justice League. He had made a decisive move and such, has left the members split on where they stood. Batman and Wonder Woman began to argue, their ideals clashed as they fought to prove why they were right.

As for Green Arrow and Supergirl, they had something else on their mind. Even though it wasn't as pressing as Clark's situation, it was still personal to them.

"Ah, well that was much earlier than expected." Oliver said to Kara, they had managed to make some distance from everyone else to have some time alone.

"Yeah, I'm glad I was able to be there for her." Kara said, letting out a sigh. It was tough juggling the two matters at hand.

"How'd she take it?" Oliver asked, he was eager to know.

"Initially, fine I think. But it's been days since then… she hasn't said anything to me. You?" Kara answered, a sadness carried in her tone.

"Not a word either…" Oliver responded, also letting out a sigh. They had gotten worried over how Linda was coping about what she had learnt about herself. How was she to respond, the tension that created made them really anxious. Their only hope was it didn't make her distance herself from them.

"Hi, mother...father…" a voice said suddenly, it was quiet and soft spoken. Oliver and Kara turned immediately to find that it was Linda. As soon as they confirmed it, they rushed to her, relieved to see her well.

"Oh honey, thank goodness, we've been so worried about you!" Kara exclaimed, her gratitude and concern filled her voice.

"Is that so?... I'm sorry." Linda apologised, her voice soft spoke again. It was apparent that she wasn't feeling it. They left their gaze on her, giving her some time to think. Some time had passed and things were still silent.

"So… uh, how you feeling?" Oliver asked first, he wanted to end the silence to avoid it getting awkward. Linda looked up at them and met their eyes.

"I dunno…" Linda responded, unsure of what to say.

"Mad?" Oliver asked, Linda's eyebrows raised and then lowered.

"Yeah." Linda answered promptly after. Well, it was confirmed, she did not take it well. Then again, they understood why she wouldn't be, it was a fair point for her to be angry for keeping her identity a secret.

"We understand you're angry at us, dear. It's fair… but we want you to know we thought nothing else but your own safety. Believe me when I say, it was difficult making that choice. In these times, the way the world is right now… we just wanted you to have a normal life." Kara spoke sincerely, the two of them staring straight at one another. Linda could sense it was told from the heart.

"I-I know… I understand. It's still makes me...ugh… just mad." Linda said in response, her emotions were conflicted, fighting one another. Kara moved in closer towards Linda and got on one knee.

"It was your birthday a few days ago, right? I remember I didn't we get to throw a party." Kara said, shifting her tone to a more positive one. She panned her eyes around and then reached for something pinned to her suit. Kara held it in her palm and extended it towards Linda. Linda looked down at the item. It was a red bird in the form of a brooch. Linda raised an eyebrow and wondered what she was doing.

"Um… what is this?" Linda asked, her confused look taken in by Kara. Kara drew a smile on her face as she became reminiscent on the brooch.

"Heh, this… this is something special to me. Your father here gave it to me about 20 years ago, around the same time he and I started dating. He named it Flamebird, after the codename I suggested on our first mission together. It holds many meanings, but especially, in freedom. I know it's not gonna make up for what we did, but I would rather no else besides my children to have it." Kara said, her voice filled of happiness of the old times.

Hearing her mother's words caused a feeling that struck a chord within Linda. She could sense how much she adored that brooch and now she was giving it to her. In a way she felt guilty taking it from her but also it was her wish for her to have it and she wanted to respect it. Linda extended her hand and took the brooch from Kara's hand and held it her own. Seeing it this close now, it was most certainly beautiful and made her smile. Oliver and Kara noticed her reaction and in turn made them happy as well. Kara turned to look at Oliver and blushed slightly. He too returned the gesture.

"Thank you… mother, father…" Linda says softly, her smile stayed strong her face as she stared the brooch.

The three tried to enjoy the moment together but was interrupted by Barry who came calling. He realised what he had done but it seemed the issue was important.

"Sorry, but we could use you guys right now. Come when you can." Barry said swiftly before making his exit.

As reluctant as they were to leave, duty called for them. Oliver had about to make his move when Kara stopped him, putting her hand on his chest. She leant into his ear.

"Stay with her a bit longer. I'll go see what's wrong. Okay, Ollie?" Kara whispered softly, backing away after she did so. She leant in and this time kissed him. Moments after, Kara left the two of them to see why Barry had called. After something like, how could he refuse.

Oliver turns to look at Linda who was still occupying her attention with the brooch. She had now placed it on her chest. He thought he'd never see the day that brooch would get passed on. Still, things hadn't cleared over just like that. He had to know, even though he knew the answer.

"Still mad…?" Oliver asked, dreading her answer.

"Yeah… a little." Linda responded.

"What do you want to do about it?" Oliver asked her again.

"What, what do you mean?"LInda asked back, her father's question wasn't quite what she expected.

Oliver didn't know the best approach for doing this, the only thing he could do was remember something that helped back then. Perhaps it might help her. Just maybe.

"Here, come with me, honey." Oliver said, turning his body and holding onto her arm. She was taken aback from his sudden action but followed his guide. He took her outside, with many buildings near them.

"Um.. what are we doing here, father?" Linda asked. Oliver let off a slight chuckle and drew a smile on his face.

"Someone once told me that if there's something you're feeling and you don't how to deal with it. The best way is to simply… let it out." Oliver explained.

"And how do you suggest I do that?" Linda asked, she didn't know where he was going with it, but he did.

"I want you to… scream!" Oliver shouted, pointing his fingers to the city.

"W-wha...HUH?!" Linda remarked, what on Earth was father thinking.

(Hall of Justice - 8/11/2033 - A few hours later)

Attending to the issue with Linda put both Oliver and Kara's hearts at ease for the moment. Now they could direct their focus on dealing Clark. When they returned to where everyone was, it did not settle well that things had gotten much worse. The events were only ramping up more and did not seem to be calming down any time soon. Some new people have shown up: James Olson, Kendra Saunders and J'onn J'onzz.

"What's the matter?" Kara asked, returning to meeting room. Bruce and Diana were still in a heated debate. Barry got close to Kara to inform her what was going on.

"Well… the government did not take lightly to Superman's threat against the world. J'onn was in Smallville just now and he reported in that they took Jonathan and Martha hostage. Using a meta to seal them somewhere that no one can reach them. They think that'll force him to surrender." Barry relayed to Kara.

"What?! Why would they do that? That's just only going to make Kal more furious." Kara said, she was shock at what she had heard. Barry shook his head, suggesting at how perplexed he was at the idea as well. They had gotten near the centre and the others voices were getting more clearer.

"Enough of this, Bruce. It's clear we're getting nowhere. I will only say this once more, Superman is doing what the world needs right now. I have been at his side long enough to know that I will follow his lead. Those people are trying to send us a message by taking his parents, telling us what we should be and who we are. To that I answer, I know very well who i am. I am Princess Diana and I know my place. As for the rest of you, will you stand with us?" Diana spoke, her voice was unwavered and full of confidence. She directed her question to everyone in the room. Her speech had made everyone silent.

"I'm in. Clark's been my best friend for a long time. Lucy was important to me, even if things hadn't been as good as they were. Now, Lois is gone too. What we've been doing these last few decades hasn't amounted to anything. Perhaps we do need a change." James said, he was the first to voice his opinion.

"James…?" Kara asked, she couldn't believe that there was split between everyone.

"Me too. I was lost and I nearly lost the love of my life until Superman saved me. I owe him a huge debt, if anyone can do more right, it's him." Kendra chimed in, she too was on board with Superman.

Kara shifted her eyes to everyone else, were they all going to join them? J'onn remained silent, he seemed conflicted on the notion and Barry, well, she's known him for a long time, he wouldn't do that. Bruce seemed stronghold on his stance against the matter however.

"I don't have an answer. I have watched many of you grow up and I have seen many things in my life. I know what is right, but I also what can be done better…" J'onn said, voicing out his thoughts. He didn't give a definitive answer and was certainly conflicted.

"And what about you, Kara… and Oliver?" Diana asked, directing to the last two, Kara notices that Oliver had returned from being with Linda. It seemed he had the gist of the idea.

"I've travelled that path once...and I swore to never to be that person again." Oliver answers, he was filled with conviction. It pleased Kara to see he was in agreement with her,

"Yeah, I'm sorry, I can't either. I know he's family, but that doesn't mean I can just let him do this." Kara chimed in. Diana lets out a sigh, as if disappointed in their answers. She turns to those who followed her and Superman.

"Well this is a crossroads. But now we know where we stand." Diana says finally, the last words she utters before leaving with James and Kendra.

All that remained was Green Arrow, Supergirl, Flash, Martian Manhunter and Batman.

"I can't believe things have turned out like this." Kara said.

"Yeah, what are we going to do?" Barry asks, the mood was definitely brought down by the split.

"We have to act. If we consider things, what is Clark's next move?" Bruce asks.

"Most likely, find whoever is responsible for his parents." Oliver answers,

"It's most certain he will." Bruce said. It was all heading in that direction. They wished it hadn't reach this point but it did. Oliver turns to Kara and they exchanged a deep look at one another. They both knew what the other had thought.

"He's going to go for the president." Oliver said, his spontaneous answer takes everyone by surprise.

"W-what? How can you be certain?" Bruce asked.

"I… have a hunch. The government ordered a meta to hide Clark's parents. The only person who has that kind of authority is the president." Oliver explains.

"That is true… Hold on. Is this regarding what you told me before?" Bruce asked. This time everyone looked towards Oliver. Oliver let out a sigh, there was no turning back, it was our turn now.

"Yes, it is that. Everyone, here's what we're going to do." Oliver says, putting some conviction in his voice.

(Near Washington DC - 11/11/2033 - 3 Days Later)

Superman and his loyal allies spent the next several days stopping conflict all over the world. Any army that stood in their way, they immediately put a stop to them. Their force was something to be reckoned with but they knew that it wasn't going to completely cease everything. There was one thing that would drastically change everything, that was why they stood before the White House.

"So, it appears Bruce and the others don't intend on following my lead." Clark says, taking a moment to process things.

"That's correct, Kal. They are against us, but… have done nothing as of yet." Diana said, following up on Clark.

"A shame… I had hoped Kara would at least be on my side." Clark says, a sadness and disappointment in his voice. "Well, there are other things I have to worry about now."

Diana looks at Clark and the two of them prepare themselves for what was coming next. Once they were ready, they charged off the ground and headed for the White House at full speed. They landed inside and were immediately responded by the guards. They began firing bullets at them but it was pointless. Clark marched on forward, his body deflecting every bullet. Diana rushes in, using her shield to block the bullets and used her sword to cut down those who stood in their way. They reached the presidential office and Clark busts the door open and made their way inside. To their surprise the president wasn't there. This had started to irritate Clark and so he rushed to the nearest guard and pinned him to the wall.

"Where is he?!" Clark demanded angrily, raising his voice at the guard. The guard was barely conscious and yet he seemed resistant on spilling anything which caused more frustration with Clark. He slams his fist into the wall next to the guard in an attempt to intimidate him. "Answer me!"

"Kal, stop! There's something here." Diana called out, her voice forced him to stop his interrogation. He dropped the guard to the ground and proceeded to where Diana was. There was a note under the president's table. Diana had picked it up and gave it to Clark to read.

"We have secured the president. Don't do any more things that you'll regret. This is a warning." Clark said, reading the message aloud. He knew the hand writing from anywhere, he had seen it plenty of times. It was from Bruce. It seems they have done something now and are showing that they will stand against him. In a fit of frustration, Clark slams his fist into the president's desk and completely destroys it.

(Earth 1 - Helix Underground Haven)

When the anti-metahuman act was introduced, metas all across the country were given an ultimatum: either hid themselves or fight to live. Dinah Drake became conflicted with her powers and her job as Police Captain. She ultimately chose to embrace her powers fully and left the force. Over time, she got together with an old friend named Felicity and together they reformed Helix into a haven for Metahumans. On the other side of the spectrum Laurel Lance, chose to live differently. Her experience with Quentin and Oliver instilled something in her that she felt she had lost. As a token to redeem herself, she spent a long time using her powers to help other metas out there who were lost as she was.

Ronnie and Martina had followed William's advice and found themselves at Helix. It was hidden in a forgotten area of the Glades in Star City. They had a rough time making their way in but their mention of William's name got them on good terms with Dinah.

"Heh, I haven't heard from him or the others in a long time." Dinah says as she escorts the two into the hideout. It was massive for something was hidden away.

"He told us that he knew our family. Is that true?" Martina asks, it was something puzzling her.

"God, has it been that long? Yeah, it's true. I guess the time flies when you're so focused on rebuilding a place. Remind me to introduce you to Felicity. She'll tell you all about it, she loves that stuff." Dinah says.

"Do you perhaps also know who saved us then?" Ronnie asks.

"Well, describe them?" Dinah asks back.

"She was… blonde. Wore an eye mask and had a cry ability. Oh and she wore all black." Ronnie says, recollecting his memory of her. Once he had described her, Dinah comes to a stop and looks at them for a moment.

"There's only one person i know who fits that description. Her… her name is Laurel. Heh, who would've thought? She's saving people…" Dinah says, her voice getting soft as she spoke.

"Are you two friends or something?" Ronnie asks, he noticed the way Dinah reacted.

"Oh, no. Well… I dunno. I think ally or- okay she might be. We're not that close, however." Dinah says, stumbling in her speech. It was tough where to put Laurel currently. She didn't seem too bad at the moment.

Dinah brings the two of them to where they could rest and after making sure they were fine, she left them alone. It was only a few steps away from them before she received a call.

"Hello?" Dinah asks, the number was unknown and she was being wary.

"Dinah? Hey, how are you? Look, I know this is pretty sudden, but there is something going on right now and we need someplace to hide someone." Oliver voices hails through the phone. It wasn't who she was expecting to hear from.

"Oliver? What's wrong?" Dinah asks.

(Earth 38 - Hall of Justice)

Superman made haste for the Hall of Justice and left Diana as she tried to catch up afterwards. He stormed through the rooftops and landed in the middle of it all. It was there he found Bruce by his lonesome.

"So you've come…" Bruce says, acknowledging Clark's arrival.

"You know the man you're protecting took my parents, Bruce. MY parents!" Clark shouts making his way closer to Bruce.

"You have to stop this, Clark. End it now." Bruce responds returning a firm look.

"Stop…? Stop saving lives? These people know no bounds and that's what's given them the mindset to do whatever they want. I have to bring them to justice." Clark says angrily, his voice slowly building with rage.

"All you're doing is scaring them." Bruce said, trying to keep things calm.

"GOOD! That's exactly how they should be feeling! Scared to follow through with their sick minds, scared to push the trigger and scared to take innocent lives!" Clark shouts angrily and stops in front of Bruce. He pulls off his mask in a rage and stares into his eyes. "Isn't that how you do it, Bruce?! Instill fear into your enemies?! Because you chose to let that maniac live, did you ever think how many others were going to suffer at his hand?!"

"Of course I do, it pains me everytime. But Clark, we cannot decide who lives and who dies." Bruce responds.

"It was ONE death. ONE death to save millions!" Clark shouts angrily, venting all that he held within and throwing it at Bruce. He uttered nothing at his outburst. "You wouldn't understand what he took from me. The life I could've had with her… and my son. That child… I wanted to love him with everything I had. But I can't. And you, all those others that follow you, Robin and such. Have you ever asked them how they were? It must be nice having you as a father."

Bruce had maintained his calm for so long, but that last comment brought him to the edge. In a fit of rage he threw a punch towards Clark which ultimately had no effect. Clark then grabs Bruce's arm and holds it tightly.

"Now… tell me where they are." Clark says softly, he was using his arm as leverage to extract information. Bruce did not say anything at all. Clark waited a while but still nothing. Irritated at his stubbornness, he rushes him to the wall and pins him against it. "I'm not fooling around, answer me!"

Bruce continues to not utter a single thing, remaining silent. It forced Clark's hand, he goes ahead and twist Bruce's wrist, causing him immense pain. Bruce drops to the ground as Clark lets go. He holds his hand in pain and agonises it. It was then, Barry showed up.

"Enough, Clark! Stop! I'll show you where he is, just don't hurt him." Barry says. Clark turns around at his words and was surprised. At this moment, Diana arrives and she too bares witness to Bruce.

"Go on. Where are they?" Clark demands.

"On Earth-1." Barry replies, letting out a sigh.

"Barry..? What are you?" Bruce asks in shock and disbelief.

"Sorry, Bruce. I can't afford to see you hurt." Barry responds.

"No.. it doesn't matter… you can't…" Bruce grunts as he holds his pain in.

Barry and the others had nothing else to say. He opens a breach for the two and proceed with them. Leaving Bruce behind. It was several moments after but someone else entered the room. They noticed Bruce on the ground and rushed to his aid.

"Batman!" Linda cried out, as she neared him. Bruce focuses his gaze onto her and recognises her. 'Are you alright? What on Earth happened to you?"

"Linda…? What are you- nevermind." Bruce says. He looks around the room but there was no no one else but the two of them. "Linda, listen to me. I need you to go Earth-1 and find your parents. They need to know he's coming."

"W-what? I- I don't understand…" Linda says, her face was full of confusion.

(Earth 1 - Star City)

Superman, Wonder Woman and Flash jumped through the breach, arriving on Earth-1. The breach had brought them to Star City.

"Where is he, Barry?" Clark asks, his arms folded cross. Diana as well stared at him with piercing eyes. The two of them were intimidating that was certain. Barry stood there for a moment contemplating to himself. Was he ready for something like this? "Look, you're uncertain on where you stand. I understand, the different between right and wrong. That doesn't apply to me Barry, all I am doing is ensuring innocent lives will never be threatened."

"Nice words, Kal. You were always good at giving speeches." a voices hails from above. Clark and the rest turn to find it coming from Kara. She descends slowly and lands, standing across from the three of them.

"My dear cousin… so you really are standing in my way. I had hoped you of all people would understand me." Clark says, turning his attention to Kara.

"Trust me, Kal. I would never want this. But as your family, I have to be the one to stop you from doing something reckless." Kara responds, a slight sadness and conviction carried her words.

"Where is he, Kara? Hid him at your HQ?" Clark asks.

"He's safe. That's all you need to know." Kara responds.

"It seems we're at a crossroads, Kara. You seem adamant on stopping me. Guess only one of us makes it out of this with what they want." Clark says. Kara offers nothing in response but can't help but feel he was right in that part. "I guess we'll see who's really better here once and for all."

It was then, an arrow appeared near Kara's left and a rope pulled on it to tighten. It was a grappling hook arrow and momentarily, Oliver slid down and joined in.

"Ah, Oliver. Quite an entrance, as always. You know, feels like yesterday you and I had that nice chat." Clark says, acknowledging Oliver's arrival.

"You came?" Kara asks Oliver, she seemed surprise he was here.

"Yeah, you know how I am." Oliver responds, turning slightly to look at her.

"Heh, you never change." Kara says in a light-hearted scoff.

"I thought that's why you loved me." Oliver teased back.

It seemed that they were going to have to confront Clark here. There was no avoiding it. Clark turns to Diana and tells her to find the Hall of Justice, so that she can attack it. After contemplating his choice, Diana rises up and makes way. Barry turns to look at Oliver and Kara who stared back. Moments after, he began to give chase after Diana.

"So, you two versus me, huh? Let's see the power couple at work." Clark said. This was it, the moment that would forever change those two lives. Oliver and Kara looked at each other and took in this moment. Then they returned to face Clark and gave it their all.

(Helix Underground Haven)

I had been caught in the loop just in time. I worked with the members and helped secure the president at the Helix Haven. I barely knew what was going on but knew that somehow he was vital. I had no idea what I was doing, I had no powers or fighting skills. The only thing I was good at was archery but I never really perfected it. I was lost in these thought until I suddenly received a call. It was from Linda.

"Hello, William?" Linda asked through the phone. I could sense immediately the urgency in her voice.

"Lin? What's wrong?" I asked her.

"I don't quite fully understand. But Batman asked me to find Mother and Father. Warn everyone that Superman is coming." Linda relayed over.

"Wait, what? He's here?!" I asked in shock. Did that mean that he was going to come for him? All of a sudden I heard a scream and then silence. "Lin? Are you alright?! Lin?!" I shouted through phone, worried about what may have had happened. There was silence, until I heard a voice.

"Hello, sister is fine, well she will be as long as you tell me where you are." a voice answered finally. It was a woman's voice and one I heard quite recently. Wonder Woman's.

"Don't hurt her!" I shouted.

"I won't. Just tell me where you are." Diana responded.

She forced my hand and I had no other choice that would ensure her safety. So I told her where was I and I waited. I didn't know how much time had passed but I waited. It was then the roof bursted open and Diana descended from above. She had Linda suppressed with her lasso and had also been infused with Kryptonite. Linda looked frightened and scared, I couldn't blame her, she didn't know what was going on.

"There we go." Diana says, showcasing a sigh of relief. Things were going her way. The rumble her entrance caused alerted everyone in the hideout and almost immediately Dinah came running to help. She came to my side and looked up at Diana.

"I was warned earlier about you, I'm afraid you won't be getting out of this." Dinah said, looking straight at Diana.

"Is that right?" Diana asks.

(City Hall)

Supergirl and Green Arrow took on Superman in their efforts to stop him on his battle had ensued throughout the city and was on a scale unlike any other. This was Star City's first time witnessing the clash of two Kryptonians. Oliver and Kara made a good team, utilising each other in a neutral fighting style. Neither could be reached as the other protected one another, which also opened opportunities for attacks. The fight caused enormous destruction to every building they came in contact with and the fight was entering its final stages.

"Not bad, Oliver. For someone old as you are, you're keeping up." Clark remarks, taking a moment from their non-stop clash.

"You know what they say, if ain't broke, don't fix it." Oliver responded, he too was puffing and exerting off a lot of energy.

They didn't know how long they had been fighting but it was clear they had to end it. Oliver reached for his quiver and felt for his arrows. He counted them and realised he only had a few arrows left. He had to make them count. Kara turns to look at him, she was by his side and she could see what he was thinking. They gave each other a nod and Oliver proceeded to throw a smoke bomb that engulfed the two of them. Clark watched for a moment to see what they were planning, but shortly, Kara emerged from the smoke and charged straight for Clark. She was quick and closed the distance between them. She forced a hand to hand engagement between the two. Clark proceeded to attack and threw all his best moves at Kara, however she blocked them easily with precision and speed. The more she blocked, the more he became irritated. That irritation gave Kara an opening and she landed a powerful kick into his abdomen, sending him back.

"Darn it…" Clark grunts, he was feeling her kick and it hurt.

"Looks like my training with Ollie pays off." Kara remarks, strutting a prideful smile.

Clark wasn't amused and he begun to inhale and exerted a powerful frost blast towards Kara, launching her away. That move granted him some space, or so he thought. An arrow flew above Clark, right above and opened a breach. Kara had bought Oliver enough time to get the arrow there unnoticed. The vibe arrow launched Oliver down and he charged at him at full force. He had readied a Kryptonite arrow and fires it as soon as he could. Clark managed to notice it in time and caught both of them. In one hand, he held Oliver by his neck and the other was the arrow. A smile is drawn on Clark's face as he stops Oliver's assault. He looks up to see what Oliver was expressing and he too was smiling.

"Now, Kara!" Oliver shouted. His call alerted Clark to something else happening. Kara was already nearing him and had readied her heat vision. Oliver had occupied his hands, leaving him vulnerable. Realising the true intent, he lets go of his hands and readies his own heat vision to combat Kara's. The two of them clashed and it created a massive shockwave. Dust had started to form and everyone's sight had started to blur. Eventually it passed and Oliver found himself on his knees, gasping for air. He puffed rapidly trying to catch his breath but his moment was halted when a pair of feet came into his view. Oliver had only a minor of a fraction react before Clark quickly grabbed him and lifted him up. He tightened his grip on Oliver's neck and Oliver moves his hands trying to move them.

"I must say, that was an impressive strategy, Oliver. You had me worried for a bit." Clark says lifting him up even more, his confidence returning to his face. "But now you're out of arrows. It's over."

"So what if I have no more arrows…?" Oliver responds. Oliver moved his wrists upright and a hidden blade concealed lashed out and pierced into the arm holding Oliver. The sudden pain forced Clark to release his grip and dropped Oliver on the floor. Clark turns to his hand and examines the wound. The blade was made of Kryptonite. Enraged at what Oliver had done, Clark heats up his heat vision and fires it at Oliver. Oliver tried to dodge but the blast caught him. It sunk into his right arm and burned on through. The blast ripped his arm apart, completely disintegrating it. Oliver falls to his knees and holds his arm in pain. He screams and agonises at his loss.

"Oliver!" Kara shouts, she was shocked and in disbelief at what had just unfolded.

"...Finish it...KARA!" Oliver shouts through the pain. It pained her to see him like that but she knew what she had to do. Keeping him in her thoughts she rushes towards Clark and collides. She pins him to the ground and throws a heavy punch to his face.

"It's over, Kal!" Kara shouts, declaring the situation as she laid on top. Clark had no response, Kara had locked out his limbs and she was ready for anything that could come from his face.

"Yes it is over, Kara." a voice suddenly speaks. Everyone turns their attention to whoever it was and realised it was Diana. She was not alone, she had also had the president and Linda in her grasp.

"Linda! What are you… Let go of her, Diana!" Kara shouts, she was perplexed at what she was seeing.

"I can't do that. Get off him, otherwise I will…" Diana responds, she tightens her grip on Linda and the Kryptonite caused her more pain. The sight of seeing her like that broke Kara. Kara was lost on what she should do, but the more she pondered, the more Linda was suffering. She could not bear that sight anymore.

"Alright… Alright. Please, let her go. I… surrender." Kara says softly, slowly getting up and away from Clark. Diana tosses a pair of handcuffs to Kara. She looks at them and determined that it was made of red-sun material.

"Put those on and get on your knees." Diana instructed her. Kara kept her gaze on Linda and followed accordingly. As soon as the cuffs were on, Diana released Linda from her grasp and fell on her side. The radiation still had some effects on her.

"Mother… I'm sorry…" Linda mumbles, she was barely conscious.

"It's okay, honey. I'm just glad you're safe." Kara says ushering Linda an assurance.

Clark finally gets up from the ground and takes in the situation.

"Good thinking, Diana. Restraining Kara will make things easier for us." Clark says and turns to look at Linda. A sadness overcomes his face as he is reminded of his son. He turns his attention to Oliver who still writhed in pain. "I apologise about your arm. Had you yielded earlier, it wouldn't have come to this."

This time around, the battle had finally ended. Even though Oliver and Kara had ended up as the victors, it was Superman who walked away with what he wanted. Clark and the others prepared to make their leave with Kara but she insisted on saying something before she left.

"Linda… I'm sorry about this, about everything. I want you to know, we love you and your brother so much, with all of our heart. You'll always be with me." Kara says looking towards Linda. She heard her mother's final words and it gave her a mix feeling of happiness and sadness at the same time. Kara then turns to look at Oliver, it pained her more again to see him hurt. "Oliver I know this isn't what you planned, but regardless, you always made it come through. I have faith in you, Ollie. I love you."

"Kara… no...I…" Oliver says, trying to speak but the words wouldn't form. Clark had taken an extrapolator from Diana. She must've retrieved it from someone. With that he opened a breach and takes Kara with him. She gives them all one last look before heading in.

She was gone, just like that. When it seemed that they had the victory, the worse situation had occured. How did this all come to fruition? They saw this coming yet couldn't prevent it.

"Damn this timeline!" Oliver roars suddenly, his voice filled with rage. His sudden outburst took everyone by surprise. Diana still remained and Linda was still nearby.

"Interesting choice of words, Oliver. Now if I didn't know any better, it appears you know something?" Diana asks. Even in this situation she was quick to hone in on something. It was a slip up and she took notice immediately. Oliver reached in for one of his knives and threw it at Diana. It flew towards her fast but she deflected it with her shield. She noticed the anger that stemmed inside him. In his current position, he was certainly a ticking time bomb. She draws her sword and makes her way towards Oliver.

"You know, Clark was right about something. Bruce let Joker go numerous times and that became a detriment. I can see that right here. Letting you go now, might be a mistake for us down the road. You have betrayed us, Oliver. Therefore I must..." Diana speaks, nearing him as she spoke.

All of a sudden, someone else came rushing in. It was Barry. He zoomed in between the two of them.

"Diana… what are you…?" Barry asks, looking around and taking everything in.

"Oh good, Barry. I've been meaning to concern myself with you. You yourself are unclear where you align. This will be the perfect test then." Diana says, her words were vague.

"What test?" Barry asks.

"There is a traitor that lies there. Your old friend. If you are truly with us now, you will kill him. Otherwise I will." Diana explains She just suddenly dropped an ultimatum on Barry.

"Are you serious? I can't…" Barry says giving answer and it drew a disappointed look on Diana.

"Then it will be I who-" Diana said, raising her blade and walking faster.

"Wait, wait!" Barry pleads for her to stop. She heeds his call and stops. "...If that's case, then let me…". Barry answers her softly. With that she sheathed her blade and watched him. Barry turns around and walks to Oliver who laid on the ground. He picks Oliver up and looks at him.

"So this is how it is…?" Oliver asks Barry. The two of them looking face to face.

"This isn't how I pictured it, y'know." Barry responds.

Linda finally regains herself and gets to her feet. She stares in terror as Flash holds her father in his hands. She couldn't believed what was going on.

"It'll be rough for you…" Oliver whispers.

"Heh, you did it for five years back in the day. Now it's my turn." Barry responds. He lets out a sigh and begins vibrating his hand.

"No, please, Barry! Don't do this!" Linda cries out, tears forming around her eyes.

The two men looked at Linda as she cried out to them. Oliver turns to Barry once more.

"Keep my promise, Barry. Keep my promise…" Oliver says softly. Barry looks down for a while, lost in thoughts and preparing himself.

"I will…" Barry answers.

They looked at each other, one last time. Then, he moved. He moved his vibrating hand towards Oliver.

"NOOOOOOO!" Linda cries with all her heart, her voice piercing the skies, she starts moving trying to reach her father.

Barry's hands goes through Oliver, still vibrating in the process. Oliver drops his bow and it falls to the ground.

(10 mins laters)

Wonder Woman had destroyed Helix in her search for the president. Dinah tried to fight her and she put up a valiant fight, however she suffered a severe blow to her throat and was rendered defeated. After she left, I called in Nora who finally picked up after some time. She rushed immediately to my location and I informed her of everything. We had to leave everyone behind, we needed to follow where Wonder Woman had gone off to. It was then i heard a piercing scream. I knew that it was Linda's. Nora guided me towards the location with haste and we arrived. There were only two people when we arrived. Linda and Wonder Woman. There was no one else. Linda was on the ground and on her knees, her head facing downwards.

"Lin! Are you okay? Thank goodness the Kryptonite wore off…" I cried out, rushing to her side. She didn't say anything in response to my words but instead she just said one word over and over.

"Father... father…" Linda said softly. Those were the words she simply repeated. I could see tears in her eyes and it gave me an unsettling feeling.

I got up and looked around, I looked for dad but I couldn't see him anywhere. Why was she repeating his name? It was then I saw it, his bow. I walked over to it and knelt down beside it.

"His bow…" I said simply. It laid there bare on the ground and a pile of blood near it as well. It was then I grew even more worried. His bow left here and blood. Compiled that with how Linda reacted and her scream. It led my mind to one thing, but it couldn't be. I turned in haste to look at Linda and she remained her stance. I didn't want to believe it but the more I tried to avoid it, the more I could feel that it was the reality.

"No...Oh god… Dad…" I cried, tears had begun to form in my eyes as well. But I tried to hide it. I didn't want to believe it but my emotions kept piling up. Building and building and building.

"Will…" Nora says softly, observing from a distance. She too had concluded the same thing.

I couldn't bear it anymore, the pain and everything I felt had reached my boiling point. My wimpers were an attempt to mask my crying and then it just broke.

"ARghhghh…..ARGHHHHHHRHHHH"I screamed, my pain burst through and I couldn't contained it anymore.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Well, this was heavy hitting. This certainly took much longer to write out than I imagined. It seemed quite simply, I had the plot points laid out, but there were so much detail in between each segment. I hoped I kept the pacing okay, I did consider splitting this into two chapters. But decided not to. There were some ideas I wanted to get out there for a long time and I was finally able to put it down. Also the dates are in DD/MM/YYYY. I hope you enjoyed them. The next chapter won’t be as long… I hope. As always thanks for reading!


	20. My Name is Linda Danvers-Queen!

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The Final Part of the Backstory. Linda and William undergo the pain of what happened to their parents and where to go on from there.

(1 Hour Before - Central City - West-Allen Home - 12/10/2033)

Unbeknownst to many others whose fates would call upon them later, Nora was at home with her family. Her father still hadn’t come home in a few days ever since he answered the Justice League’s emergency summons. Nora and her brother, Don Henry West-Allen, had busied themselves getting the dinner table ready. They gathered around the table and their mother momentarily joined in as well. Everything seemed normal, until someone entered their home. It was their father, Barry Allen.

“Dad! You’re back!” Nora shouts happily, seeing her father’s unannounced arrival was most certainly unexpected. 

Nora gets up from her chair and runs towards him, opening her arms for a hug. Barry welcomes her hug and returns the gesture. The two of them embracing with smiles on their faces. The smile lasted on Barry’s face for only so long before his face went back to a more serious look. Nora looks up at his face and takes notice of it.

“What’s wrong, Dad?” Nora asks, expressing her concern.

Barry did not give her an answer but instead looks towards Iris. She too, looked back at him. Barry then turns his gazes to his other two children moments after before letting out a sigh. Nora could sense there was something holding her father’s chest down heavily.

“I’m glad to see all of you are doing well. I really am…” Barry opens up, letting his concern for his family be known. “I wish I could stay here and be with you, I would like nothing more than to do that. But… I can’t.”

Nora sees her father’s distraught face as he spoke. His tone made it evident that something was going on.

“Dad, you’re scaring me. What’s up?” Nora asks softly, her question filled with a hint of hope but dreading the answer. Barry turns to look at Nora and places both of his hands on her shoulders.

“Nora… things are going to change. They’ll be many things said after tonight. About me, about my friends. I want you to know, there is more truth than what you will just see tonight. Especially in what we’re setting up. It will take time.” Barry speaks to Nora directly, there was something vague in his words that she couldn’t piece. She didn’t know what to make of it.

“What do you mean, are you leaving? I don’t get it, Dad. Just tell me what it is.” Nora says to him, her confusion emitted a little frustration.

“You know what? Perhaps I can. But first, I need you to do something for me.” Barry asks. 

“What is it?” Nora asks back, unsure of what he was going for.

“I need you to find a woman. Her name is Laurel Lance. If my… hunch is right, she should be in Star City’s Cemetery.” Barry answers her.

“Who is she?” Nora asks.

“She’s uh, an old friend. Bring her to Helix, that place will be under attack and they’ll need her help.” Barry responds and taking his hands off her. He then ushers her a smile. “Can you do that?”

Nora was uncertain why her father had asked her to do something like this. But if it was going to lead him to explain things then she figured she might as well do it.

“Okay, I’ll be right back then.” Nora said, accepting his proposal. She then rushes out of the house, her lightning streaks flailing behind.

Just like that, she was gone. Barry turns to look at Iris and Don who had been watching him. They too were concerned about him.

“You’re not gonna wait for her to come back are you?” Iris asks Barry, drawing out Barry’s true intention. Barry lets out a small sigh at his wife’s understanding of when he was lying. She knew him too well.

“Nothing gets past you, does it?” Barry asks her in jokingly manner. “It’s better off this way, she won’t see me leave.” Barry says after, shifting to a sad tone.

“Is this about what you told me? What you three have planned?” Iris asks.

“Yeah, it is. For it to work, I need to gain Clark’s trust.” Barry responds to her.

“Okay. Do what you have to do. Just… don’t lose yourself.” Iris says, a sadness instilled in her voice but she put her faith into her husband.

“On the contrary, I have to be someone else. But, thanks for understanding, Iris. I love you.” Barry says, ushering her a smile in his effort to smooth things.

“I love you, too.” Iris says back to him, giving him her own. Things were bittersweet, but the love he found in his family gave Barry tremendous strength.

Barry then turns to his son who had been silent all this time. Don had always favored his mother more, but that didn’t take anything from Barry, it just meant it was more of a relief considering current events.

“You take care of your mom, alright? I leave her to you.” Barry says to him. An uncertainty covers his face and he contemplates everything he heard. He finallys nods heavily to his father, showing that he understood.

(45 Minutes Before - Star City Cemetery - 12/11/2033)

Today was the anniversary, Laurel had begun to lost track of how many times she had done this now. Regardless, every time during this part of the year, Laurel made sure to visit the cemetery, to which laid the man who renewed her way of life. She stood there peering down onto his tomb and which it read “Quentin Larry Lance”.

“Hey, it’s me. I hope wherever you are, it’s...treating you well. This year I returned from Nanda Parbat and boy was Nyssa’s training gruesome. It’s been probably a few years since I turned to her for help. As for my love life, well… to be honest, I think I passed that phase of my life by now. You’d probably be drilling me to find someone or something like that. Yeah, you probably would, huh. Heh… I miss you. Thanks again for showing me what it was like… to care for someone again.” Laurel spoke from her heart, it felt nice voicing out what was going on in her life. Paying respect where it was due.

Laurel stood there by her lonesome in the cemetery for quite some time, reminiscing of the old times. A lot has happened. She finally found something she could look back on and find pride in. Her moments of solitude came to an end as a flash of light suddenly emerged and a young woman appeared in front of her. Laurel’s body tensed and her mind switched into a defensive stance.

“Whoa, Whoa! Sorry, please don’t attack! I mean you no harm!” Nora shouts, pleading her defence. The girl’s outburst took Laurel by surprise.

“Who are you?” Laurel asks, her body ready to act whenever.

“M-My name is Nora West-Allen, I’m the daughter of Barry Allen. He sent me here to find you.” Nora explains herself. The mention of Barry calmed her down. 

“I guess that explains the lightning. You’re a speedster… well, what do you want?” Laurel asks Nora. It seemed she wasn’t aggressive anymore but she was still quite intimidating.

“I don’t quite understand either, but he wants you to go to Helix. They’re going to be attacked soon.” Nora relays on to her. 

“What?! There are metas there. Dinah should be able to--.... No… Those A.R.G.U.S agents I’ve seen lurking around. If there is gonna be an attack, then they’ll find them.” Laurel mutters to herself, her thoughts had raced around after hearing Nora.

“Um… I think at best we should at least go there then. It seems you’ve been watching things. I’ll take you there.” Nora says. Laurel was still in the midst of her thoughts but ultimately decided to follow her move. Laurel nods to her and so, Nora takes her and rushes off to Helix.

(15 Minutes Before - Star City - Helix Haven Underground - 12/11/2033)

Nora arrives with Laurel in the Underground Haven for Metas. The two of them rushed on in, making their way past all of the habitants that resided their. They made their way up the stairs to the second floor and in the distance they saw a crowd. There was a massive hole in the ceiling and rubble that laid nearby. As they got near, Nora made out one person, it was William. He recognised her as well and made his way to her with haste.

“Finally, I’ve been trying to contact you, Nora!” William starts up, his face was full of concern.

“Did you..? I’m sorry, i must’ve missed it.” Nora says in response, apologetic she hadn’t done so.

“It’s alright, it doesn’t matter. I need you right now.” William says.

“What’s wrong?” Nora asks.

“Alot. Wonder Woman attacked us and took a V.I.P the League was hiding here. She has my sister with her as well. If she does anything to her… I swear.... We need to find them, Nora. Please!” William’s pleads to Nora with intensity. She saw the look in his eyes and his was intent on securing his sister’s life. To that, she could not deny. 

“Okay, Willy. Let’s go find them.” Nora answers him. She couldn’t refuse him, their families were close, essentially family to her as well. With that, Nora leaves Laurel behind and takes William with her, rushing out of Helix.

Nora had just left her. Laurel was unsure where to proceed but the crowd she saw earlier piqued her curiosity. She decided to move towards it and find out what was garnering attention. It didn’t take long for her to realise that it was Dinah laying on the ground. She was heavily wounded and suffered a few cuts to her body. Upon realisation, Laurel instantly rushes to her, pushing past the people in her way. She drops onto her knees and sits beside her body. It took a moment for Dinah to see that Laurel was there. She slowly turns her head to greet Laurel.

“Look who showed up… Laurel Lance. I must be dreaming now.” Dinah begins to speak, her voice soft and weakly. The crowd has sensed that it was someone she knew and began to disperse themselves.

“You’re more wounded right now than dreaming. Why hasn’t anyone checked on you?” Laurel asks her, she displayed concern for Dinah as she eyed her body. 

“Times are rough. Low on supplies… and I can’t check myself in, they’ll know I’m a Meta and they’ll send me to prison.” Dinah answers, it seemed to have been a struggle for her to speak.

The state of the world was currently cruel to those who were metas. Laurel had knew that but seeing something like this showed a much deeper severity to its state.

“W-What happened…?” Laurel asks, the issue was pressing on her mind.

“It doesn’t really matter… someone attacked us and I did my best to protect everyone… I just couldn’t keep it up...anymore…” Dinah says, she had begun to have more pauses in her words.

“Well, screw it. Just go to a hospital and get help, Dinah. You may be in contact with the law, but at least you’ll be fine that way.” Laurel says, an intensity filled in her eyes. Dinah saw the look she had.

“Heh… you know something...Laurel?... I truly wished we met under better circumstances… I know we would have been...great friends…” Dinah whispers to her. 

“I never met to hurt you like I did back then. I always felt the same way about us. We still can.” Laurel says, trying her best to assure Dinah. Dinah’s eyelid have flickered for a while now, trying to fight to stay open.

“I can see it now… you had a good heart… that was smothered in darkness by those who took advantage of you...and you lost yourself for some time… accepting that it was who you were now...but I’m glad Quentin instilled that hope back in you… you do look better when you smile… you know that…” Dinah whispers to Laurel, pouring her sincerity to her. Laurel shared her sentiment as well, as much as they had conflict in the past, there was always something that connected them. Which was why, being beside her, made it all feel the worst. What could have been seemed to be lost now.

Dinah suddenly begins to slowly move her hand and proceeds to take off her eye-mask. Laurel was surprised as she followed her movement. Dinah then reaches out to Laurel, holding it in her hand. Laurel did not know how to respond, but her hand moved on its own and held onto the eye mask as well.

“Take it… Laurel… I want you to become the Black Canary… in my stead.” Dinah says, her weakly voice holding a conviction in it’s words. 

“I can’t… I’m not…” Laurel stutters, trying to refuse the mask.

“But you must… I’ve heard what you’ve done… you’ve been saving people recently…” Dinah responds.

“That’s not what I was-- They were lost and I put them back on the right track.” Laurel says.

“Sounds like saving to me...Take it....you know already between us… I can’t be her anymore… but you still can… so please…” Dinah says, her voice pleading to her. Laurel looks down to her, as she laid there in pain and suffering. She had never thought of herself in that light before but right now, in this dire moment, Dinah had asked her to become the Black Canary. There was no use hiding from it, she was dying. Her final wish was for her to become it. Whether she was fit to fill those shoes or not, she accepted Dinah’s last wish and took the eye-mask from her. A small smile creeps slowly on Dinah’s face and she stares at Laurel as her eyes closed. It was then she heard a small sound and the last thing that came from her. “Thank you…”.

(Current Time - Star City - Aftermath)

William’s voice roared into the night sky, every pain that he was feeling he channeled into his voice. He still couldn’t come to grips to the reality of what was before his eyes. He clutched his dad’s bow tightly as tears dripped onto them. It was the only thing that had remained and he made sure that his hands did not let go of the bow. William had been lost to himself for some time before he had realised that there were others nearby. He looked around, Wonder Woman stood where she stood and just behind him were Linda and Nora. Nora had hands covering her mouth in shock and Linda was on her knees in tears. 

Linda laid on her knees, her hand firmly placed on the ground. Her voice had grown weak after she had shouted. An immense feeling of emotions overwhelmed her and so much she was feeling at one time. Confusion, shock, despair and anger. She couldn’t do a thing to help them and now they were gone, both of her parents. That helplessness lingered in Linda’s mind and guilted her deeply.

“Where on Earth did Barry take him? Perhaps to bury him, I suppose.” Diana said, her head turning around after the two had left. Her attention was then brought to the ones who had remained and were agonising. “It’s truly unfortunate what has happened. But to ensure that Kal can achieve his goals, I won’t allow anyone to intervene. May the gods watch over.” 

Having said what she had to say them, she turned her back to them and made way for the breach that remained. It was opened a distance from where she stood and she begun to levitate and fly towards it. The way she spoke about everything just now seemed cold, Linda thought. That was all she had to offer in terms of how she felt. Was that all she felt? She had taken her world from Linda’s grasp and her response was that it wasn’t personal. She wanted to do something, anything then just lay there on the floor. But that wasn’t her. She was always the girl that behaved herself. Look where that led her. Her anger had begun to overpower her other emotions but she didn’t know what to do with it. How was she supposed to act to something like this? How was she supposed to deal with her anger and everything else she was feeling? It was then she remembered something, something she had heard earlier.

“You know, honey. Someone once told me that if you’re feeling something and you don’t know how to deal with it. The best way is to simply… let it out.”

The advice her father had given her. He showed her a way to deal with anger. Perhaps that’s what she needed to do right now. Let it out. Yes, that was the answer. Her mind set on her new goal, everything inside her begin to swivel. Her anger, her sorrow and herself combined itself and manifested itself into a voice. She slammed her fists into the ground, causing cracks around them. Her bellow rose from deep within, clawing its way up. She let it out, all of it out and she roared with tremendous intensity. 

“Where do you think you’re going, you self-righteous bitch?!” Linda roared, her angered outburst immediately caught everyone’s attention. They were all shock as they looked at her, they couldn’t believe those words came from her mouth.

Diana turned around and stopped her motion. She turned to look at Linda who had risen slowly from her knees and stood on her feet. Her face looking downwards to her hands.

“I see it now. I understand. My whole life I thought I was just a normal human. But now I get it, I’m also a Kryptonian, just like my mother. This is ME! This is who I REALLY AM! My BIRTHRIGHT!” Linda roars, her voice gruffed and filled with anger. Linda digs her feet into the ground and launches at full speed towards Diana. Her fist comes into contact with Diana’s face, sending her flying all the way to the wall of a nearby building.

“Whoa… I could barely see her.” Nora says in shock, she had gotten near to William who was too in shock.

“I… I’ve never seen her like that.” William chimed in.

Diana had been taken by surprise, she in no way expected Linda to retaliate in such a fashion and so her guard was down. The hit had caused a slight bleeding. Diana proceeds to wipe it off with her hands and gets back on her feet. Linda stood above her, flying in the air, her eyes filled with anger.

“You landed a lucky hit on me, well done. You seem to understand Kal’s pain now, the suffering he faced. That now controls you, too.” Diana said, meeting Linda in the eyes. There was no more evidence of fear in her eyes.

“No. I won’t be weak anymore. I am not going to lose heart anymore. I won’t just watch idly by.” Linda grunts in response. Linda did not seem intent on giving up, which in return forced Diana to let out a sigh.

“I usher you one last chance, child. Give up or I will cut you where you stand.” Diana said, she too had begun to levitate and leveled herself evenly against Linda.

“A choice…? Why wasn’t my father given a choice?! Don't start treating me differently because I'm younger, I'll make sure you pay for what you did!” Linda shouts angrily.

“Such confidence, child. Are the gods favoring you at this moment or is your anger simply blinding you? No matter, it seems you’ve chosen your fate.” Diana says.

“Child… all you've done until now is mock me! My name, is Linda Danvers-Queen!” Linda roars, her voice filled with conviction and pride as she states her name.

With that, Linda flies headfast into Diana who intercepts her.

“Very well, then allow me to demonstrate the strength of my blade, ‘God Killer’.” Diana responds. She pushes against Linda and sends her back. Diana draws her blade against Linda.

“Don't get ahead of yourself just because I used to behave how you wanted!” Linda throws back at her. The two resumed their clash and began fighting.

William and Nora watched from the ground as Linda had engaged with Diana. Linda moved with immense ferocity and Diana fought back with the same energy.

“Remind me to never piss off my sister…” William says in awe and a slight fear in his voice.

“As crazy as it is, I have to say, it’s kinda badass. Didn’t know she had it in her.” Nora chimes in. 

“That may be, but Linda has snapped. She’s letting her anger fuel her, using it to cope with the loss. Even though that anger allowed her to embrace herself, she needs to calm down before she gets hurt or worse...” William said, voicing out his observation. He understood how she felt and in a way he saw himself in Linda's rage. But it was because he could see her on the outside that he worried for her.

“You really think we should? This could be our chance to take her.” Nora said, offering a different stance.

“Look, I know. I can't forgive that woman for what she did. But we also need to know when or when not to engage.” William said in response, holding onto his own. Nora could sense that he was right despite how she wanted to do things. 

“What do we do then?” Nora asks. William begins to think to himself. What was their course of action.

“Head back to helix and get whoever you can to help.” William tells her.

“Alright, what about you?” Nora asks.

A loud impact suddenly disrupted them as they saw Linda thrown into the ground by Wonder Woman.

“I'll talk to her. Now, go!” William shouts. Seeing the action unfold much dire forced Nora to act quickly. She rushes out of the area.

William cautiously makes his way into the combat area. It was highly dangerous but he needed to reach her. Linda had lifted a large rock created from the destruction and threw it at Wonder Woman. It sent her back a distance but it gave an opportunity for William. He rushes to and places his hands on hers.

“Linda! Please stop, you're--” William shouts in the midst of everything. 

Linda does not listen to him but instead uses her right arm and hits William, putting him on his backside.

“Get off me!” Linda cries out, her anger lashed at him. She then immediately realised what she had done as she looked towards William. He laid on the ground and had a hand holding his stomach in pain. “W-Will… I--” Linda had gone off to say, the regret in her voice but she was cut off. Diana had thrown her lasso and restrained Linda. 

“Oliver must have taught you something. Quite some skill for a teenager. But alas, this is over.” Diana said. The lasso tightened on Linda and its effect began to wear on her. 

William rises to his feet, still holding onto the pain in his stomach and looks towards his sister. It was then a streak of lightning emerged once more and freed Linda from Diana’s grasp. It was Nora, and she sped with Linda back to William’s side. Then he noticed another person standing beside him, the person Nora brought with her, Laurel Lance. She let off a sonic cry at Diana who evades the incoming attack.

“Hmm. Didn’t I deal with you earlier?” Diana asks Laurel. She had been wearing the eye mask and had mistaken her for Diana.

“You did. Now I’m here in her place.” Laurel answers,

“More of you. Does this not end?” Diana asks.

“Well that depends on you. Think you can take on all of us.” Laurel retorts. Nora and Linda standing by her side, the three of them stare at Diana with piercing eyes. Diana pans her eyes around the three women and considered that it wasn’t worth going further on. She sheathes her blade and heads for the breach. It closes after she enters it. William lets out a sigh of relief, they managed to avoid any further losses. He then turns around to look at Laurel.

“You okay, kid?” Laurel asks.

(Helix Haven Underground - A few hours later)

The battle in Star City had come to an end and a calm had started to wash in. We didn’t know what to do and where to go from here. Our only option at the moment was to return to Helix, and so that was what we did. It was only when I returned did I see the severity of Wonder Woman’s attack on the Haven. Many had been injured as a result of the battle she had with the Black Canary and now that a significant portion of it had been revealed, there was fear the authorities would find the hideout. Laurel and Nora went off to tend to the other tenants there, offering what they could as aid.

I went ahead and looked for Linda. She had been resting on the stairs on the bottom step. As I approached her, she raises her head to greet me. I could tell by her look that she had calmed down and so much sorrow was written all over her face.

“Hey, little sis.” I started up, I went to sit down by her on the stairs as well.

“Hey, Will.” Linda greets back, her voice was soft and sad. She looks towards me and remembered what she had done in the fit of her rage. “I’m sorry for hitting you back there… I was just so mad and everything was so--”. Linda had gone off to apologise, I could sense how apologetic she was.

“It’s alright, I get it. I was mad too. If things were perfect, I’d have a go at her as well, but I could only just watch. Between me and her, I think she got the worst end of the stick, don’t you think?” I said, giving her an assuring look. I did my best to let her know that I took nothing from it. Linda continued to stare at me however, seeing the result of her anger. It made her more aware the capabilities and responsibilities she had with her powers. One she kept with her for a long time.

“It’s so unfair though, everything right now. Why she did do it? There was no one forcing her to.” Linda said, reflecting on Diana’s actions. She leant onto my shoulder and started to tear up. I couldn’t answer her, as I didn’t know either. All I could do now was be her brother and give her the support she needed. I placed my arm around her shoulder, holding onto her tightly.

“I know. I know.” I uttered simply, my lip quivered and my voice had tried to remain calm. I was hurting inside but I needed to be strong, for Linda.

Nora approached us slowly, cautious to see if she was interfering. I noticed her coming and met her gaze to greet her.

“Hey guys, I’m sorry about what’s happened. It’s dreadful. But I think I need to tell you something… about my dad.” Nora said. The two of us looked at her and waited for her to continue. She took our attention as a sign to go on. “Okay, well, about an hour before everything went down, he came to our house. He warned me, saying we shouldn’t trust in what we see tonight. That something else is in play.” 

“But I saw him do it, Nora. He put his hand through my father.” Linda said.

“His hand? Do you mean like phasing?” Nora asked. Linda had a slight confusion on her face.

“It was vibrating, if that’s what you mean.” Linda replied. Nora brings her fingers to her lips and stroked them. She took into account what Linda told her.

“Was his hand still vibrating once it went through?” Nora asked.

“I- I don’t know… I think so.” Linda answered, she was quite unsure. It was tough recollecting the memory.

“What’s your point, Nora?” I asked her, she seemed to be aiming for something.

“It’s possible that’s what was intended to be seen. My dad took your dad with him, and didn’t simply drop the body. That’s right, that has to be it!” Nora exclaimed, she voiced out what she concluded. 

“Look, I know he’s your dad and you want to believe in him. But if what you’re saying is true, why do all this?” I asked her. Nora did not have a response for my question, but it was clear she believed in her father’s innocence. As for myself, I didn’t know what to think. There was only one thing I knew. I needed some time to myself.

(Earth 38 - Luthorcorp Lab)

Lena had hid herself from the world for some time. She was working on numerous projects that she hoped would change the world. Her activities came to a halt as a loud thud erupted from the centre of the lab. It took her by surprise and made her jump to her feet. She had started to get nervous but she had to find out what the source was. Lena made her way to the centre of the lab and in the middle, laid atop a table, was a body. It was shocking but she made haste towards it. The body was that of a man in a green suit and he was missing a right arm. From the looks of it, it was burned off. There was also a note placed on top. Things were only getting stranger for Lena but she opened the note and began to read it.

“Hello Lena, it’s been some time since last we met. Sorry to drop the ball on you but you’re the only one we can turn to. I’m pretty sure you know who it is you’re looking at and I hope you can give him a hand.... Sorry that was bad. Anyways, we leave him in your care. Thanks, B.A.”

“B.A?” Lena said aloud, repeating the last initials. There was only one person most likely to fit them. She then remembered the little joke he made about the arm. Regardless, he was important to ‘her’. There were numerous times he also helped Lena out. It was time to pay back the favour. 

(Earth-1 - Old Arrow Hideout (Bunker) )

I needed some distance from Helix and everyone there. I wanted to go someplace where I could remind myself of my dad. There was only place that came to mind and it was the bunker. It hadn’t been used in recent times but most of his gear was still there. I rode down the elevator and walked in the hideout, turning on the lights. It took me back to the early days and seeing it all again was nice. I walked around the bunker, passing by his suits, bows and arrows. I eventually came to the main computer and looked at it. I could see my reflection through the monitor. It was just me and no one else. Just me. Now that I was all alone, everything I had bottled in started to surface. My tears began to well up in my eyes and I could really just let myself go. And so I did, I grieved. I didn’t how long I had taken but time had flown by. It was then I was alerted to a loud voice that filled up the room.

“Hello, William. I’m sorry to intrude on you, but I have message set to play for you.” the voice said. It was a female voice almost but also robotic.

“Gideon?” I asked suddenly, breaking out of my silence. Barry had insisted that Dad should get her installed, as much as he was reluctant to, it happened anyway.

“Yes, it’s me. Would you like me to play the message?” Gideon asked. This was certainly something I hadn’t expected coming here.

“Sure, go ahead.” I answered. Gideon heeded my response and took a moment. I didn’t know what it could be but eventually Gideon started to play.

“Hello William, my son. If you’re hearing this, then you know what has happened. I’m sorry for putting you and your sister through all of this. We saw this coming and it was never what we wanted. I imagine all of this must be hard for you, but I know you will come out strong, I know it to be so. The world is in a cruel state, the two Earths that we call home. Superman will be lost to his darkness and will pursue absolute justice by any means possible. There needs to be someone who will stand up to him. To fight for the last remaining hope that myself and Kara has fought for. I want you to follow in my footsteps and wield the bow. Become the Green Arrow. Continue our fight, my son. Your sister will need you and you will need her. Together I know you can do it. When the time comes, when the fire and storm are one. The gold stone will give you victory. That is the key to beating Superman. I believe in you, William.”

The message finished playing and I was left with more questions then when I came here. He wants me to be the Green Arrow? To fight against Superman? And there was also the final message. A coded riddle of some sort. Fire and storm. Gold stone. The key to beating Superman. I didn’t know what to make of it. But my thoughts came to a halt when another voice hailed the room. This time it came from a person. I turned around to see that it was Laurel.

“So you chose to come here, interesting.” Laurel said. She had appeared out of nowhere, I couldn’t even tell she was there until she spoke.

 

“Did you follow me here? There was no need to do that.” I said. Laurel did not say anything to that, instead she starts to pace around the room.

“I heard that message from your dad. What are you going to do?” Laurel asked. 

“What’s it to you? I… I don’t know if I can be what he wants me to be.” I replied, that was the thought that was roaming my mind.

“I may not have been as close to your dad in recent times, but he was the sort of the man who put his life on the line for his goals. What about you, kid? Surely there’s something you want.” Laurel posed her question to me. 

I took it to heart and thought about it. Was there something that I wanted? Something I could strive for? Perhaps something dear and close to me. Like Linda. My little sister. A world where she doesn’t have to fear being a Kryptonian or simply someone who doesn’t fit the norm. That freedom for her and those like her was something I could stand behind and pursue. I looked back at Laurel who had been waiting for my response.

“I’d want a world where metas and aliens can live freely. I’d do anything for my sister.” I answered her. My response invoked a small smile on her face, it seemed she was pleased.

“Heh, seems we share the same idea, kid.” Laurel said.

“Even so, I don’t think I can be the Green Arrow, I don’t know how to fight…” I chimed in.

“That can be remedied. What about a bow? Can you shoot?” Laurel asked. She had passed it off quickly but I took notice of it.

“The Black Canary offering to train me? Heh… As for a bow, my dad did teach me how to use one.” I answered her. 

“That sounds Green Arrow enough for me.” Laurel said.

“Yeah, but--” I tried to respond back, but my words were cut short as an alert went off from the computer. Laurel took immediate action and raced over. She operated it and responded to the alert. I walked over and had a look for myself. It showed a map of Helix and several red flags flaring.

“Darn it. A.R.G.U.S found it, they found Helix. The people there are in trouble.” Laurel said, addressing what was going on. She walks off hastily, towards where one of Dad’s bow was stowed. She then returned and stretched out her arm, extending the bow to me. “Look, it’s time to decide, kid. Are you going to continue watching things from the sideline? Or are you going to fight? Cause my opinion, Star City will always need a Green Arrow.”

She offered me the ultimate choice, the one that forever changed my future. I decided at a young age to pursue a life that tackled the problems of the world through the traditional means. But now, those same authorities are threatening my friends and family. That life was never going to work out, not at the current state of the world. I guess it was a tribute to what Linda showcased earlier. Her answer to her calling in turn inspired me. I didn’t want to be that boy anymore that waited and watched. It was time, to be the man who would fight for the freedom the world needed. This was going to require me to be someone else, something else.

(Helix Haven Underground - Star City - A.R.G.U.S Raid)

A.R.G.U.S agents had been deployed and surrounded the area that hid Helix. Their numbers were immense, enough to amount a small army. The captain ordered a dampener field to canvas the entire hideout and extended it’s perimetre so there could not be any escapes. Several squadrons made their way into the base, their anti-meta weapons armed and ready. The metas had been taken by surprise and were ultimately overwhelmed. Some tried lashing out and use their powers but nothing came of it.

“Secure anyone that you find and make sure they are restrained!” The captain ordered, and almost immediately his people spread out across the hideout and detained everyone.

“What’s going on here? Who are you people?!” Linda shouted as she became bounded, her efforts of struggle had been silenced. 

“It is by the anti-meta human act that we are ordered to take all of you in. Do not resist and comply accordingly. Resistance will be met with consequences!” The captain announced, he projected his voice loud and clear for everyone to hear.

“Hey, stop right now!” an agent shouted suddenly. The captain turned his head in haste to see what the commotion was about. Moments after, an agent brought along a woman with her hands held behind her. It was Laurel.

“What’s the matter? Who is-- The Black Canary? Well, you look different, nonetheless a good find.” The captain said, he had his eyes on Laurel.

“Your men were easy chump change. Took out about ten of you before you pulled out your scary guns.” Laurel remarked.

“Really now? That was your plan? To just walk in and take on everyone without your abilities? You thought you could do this alone?” The captain asked in a mocking manner. He laughed at the idea.

“I never said I was alone.” Laurel replied, a smirk on her face. Her response was ominous and a strange feeling was invoked in the captain.

It was then, as if on cue, a loud explosive went off outside and it shook the entire place. The captain looked and went up to Laurel, meeting her face to face.

“What the hell are you doing?” The captain asked, his voice was low and grunted.

“You’re about to find out.” Laurel replied, with that she let off a sonic cry and blasted it off in front of her. It hit the captain and several agents behind him. She turned around and subdued the agent holding her. “Linda and Nora, stand with me!” She shouted. Her sudden actions made the two of them realise they were no longer restricted and broke themselves free. The dampener field had been destroyed.

William had used a grappling hook arrow and slid through the massive hole. He managed to stick the landing and peered down onto everyone below. He had suited up in his father’s suit and bow. It was nerve-wracking as he moved about. Everyone noticed his entrance and turned to look at him. He readied his bow and pulled back an arrow.

“Everyone, escape now! Make sure to take care of one another, leave the fighting to us!” William shouted, his voice heard by everyone. They heard his call and followed his direction. Everyone started scattering themselves and headed for the secret exit. There were two however who hadn’t move. It was Martina and Ronnie. An agent had started to move on them and William directed his aim to him. “Calm. Breath… Fire!” He muttered to himself. He fired an flashbang arrow and stunned the agent. 

Linda and Nora had moved about and was helping everyone escape. Linda noticed her brother’s shot and lunged for the stunned agent, knocking him out. She turns to the two of them who she had just saved.

“Hurry, get yourselves out!” Linda shouts at them. Martina heeded her call and started running but Ronnie did not. He remained and was watching everything unfold. Martina runs back to him and grabs his hand.

“Ronnie, we have to go! We have to run!” Martina shouts at him, trying to get him to move.

“No Tina, I’m not going to. I’m tired of running my entire life, of who I am. These guys are fighting right now and I ain’t going to turn my back and run. I want to fight with them, Tina. What about you?” Ronnie spoke, his words came deep from within. 

Tina looked towards him, the man she loved. It was true they had been running their whole life. This moment right now, seemed important and his gaze was so inviting. She would follow where he would. With that, she took hold of his hands and they had started to merge. The flame circling around them, until they were one. The once fiery legend before them, Firestorm.

The other metas had made their escape and the only ones who chose to fight remained. They gathered near one another. William looked down and saw the fighting spirit evident in those sharing the fight. Laurel looks towards William with a smile.

“Got yourself a nice team, kid. Now, time to fight back!” Laurel exclaimed, her cry full of energy and might.

“Yeah. I’m done watching things from the sidelines. Now, I’m gonna stand with everyone and fight for the freedom we deserve. Let’s go, everyone!” William roared and at his words the new group of fighters charged forward.

(Several Days Later)

It had been a few nights since that fateful evening. For better or worse our resistance at A.R.G.U.S drew more alarm for the views against metas. That did not matter to me anymore. My priorities lie elsewhere. To find my parents and to carry on their fight. We had to lay low and for the time being, my identity was still safe. Linda stayed with me because she couldn’t go back to Earth-38 nor a mother to return to. We had to keep ourselves going and so I made haste to ensure our goals were going to be achieved. I asked Nora to seek out some old friends and I made our new allies aware of what was happening. Once everyone who been notified, I summoned a meeting at the old Hall of Justice that used to be occupied by those before us. I had everyone assemble in the large meeting room. All of them answered our call. Myself, Linda, Nora, Laurel, Martina, Ronnie, Cisco and Caitlin. I met their questioning eyes, as why they were all here and I was going to answer that. I walked over to Linda and Laurel who had been standing at the front. I came in between them and looked towards Laurel, she in turn gave me a nod. This was it, it was time to tell everyone.

“I am the Green Arrow. I know that name was rightfully donned by my father and for over two decades he has put his life on the line in order to save this city and the world. He met close and trusted allies who supported him, Supergirl and The Flash. The three of them and many others were so renowned for their efforts in protecting the two Earths I call home. But recently, we lost them to the enemy. What isn’t lost however, is their fight. That is why I am taking on the mantle, to honor the will of those before us and to carry on their fight. I know I can’t do it alone, and that is why I have reached out to old friends and new allies. To ask of you simply, will you stand with me? To save the world and fight for freedom.”

I spoke with all of my heart and all sincerity. I stood there as my words started to sink in and I wondered how they would respond. It was nerve-wracking, but I spoke only of the truth

“I’m with you, Willy!” Nora exclaimed, her support coming off sound and clear.

“Nice speech, William. I can’t let the youngsters take all the glory.” Cisco chimed in.

“Me too. We may have decided to retire some time back, but really, you can’t really leave this life. And I won’t, if I can do my part.” Caitilin added, she ushered a smile.

“Yeah… I may be new to all of this. But I meant what I said, I’m going to fight for my right to live.” Ronnie said, his voice filled with conviction. Martina smiled and nodded as well.

I turned to look at Linda and she shared the sentiments as everyone.

“We’re in this together, Will. Of course I’ll stand by you.” Linda said, her words and support meant everything to me. Finally I turned to Laurel, the woman who pushed me to embrace all of this. The last person i had ever expected to.

“Good job, kid. Spoken like your dad. But you know… things from here on out ain’t going to be smooth. It’s going to be a tough road.” Laurel said.

“Yeah, that’s true. It will take some time to reform what they had. But if we don’t start now, when will we?” I responded back. She laughed at my response and in a way, it seemed she showed a little respect to me.

(Earth 38 - Stryker’s Island - Red Sun Prison)

It had been some time, but Kara had been held by her cousin’s grip. They had made their way to an island where Kal held his enemies. He brought her to a new area she hadn’t seen before. There was a red ray of light in the distance.

“Where are we, Kal?” Kara asked.

“I’ve brought you to the cell I once held Zod in. But… well you know what happened to him.” Clark answered. He stood behind her and was escorting her through the prison. 

Kara had been changed out of her clothes and had been wearing a white gown. She wore this as she walked through. They eventually stopped by a cell. It was large and spherical and there was an obvious red ray of light that Kara determined to be Red Sun. The doors opened and Kal’s body language was hinting for her to go in. There was nothing for her to do but comply and she walked in, into the cell. The doors close immediately as she entered.

“This is what you’re gonna do with me? Keep me prisoner?” Kara asked.

“You’re my last family, Kara. As crazy as you think I am, I won’t kill you. It’s better off you watch from inside. Watch as I bring justice to this cruel world and turn it into the world Lois would want.” Clark answered. 

“This isn’t what she would want, Kal. Not like this.” Kara said, trying one last time to appease him, but he did not seem keen.

“Guess there’s only one way to find out, isn’t there? Welcome to your new home, Red Sun Inmate.” Clark said, his last words to Kara as he leaves her.

She was alone and trapped in the cell. There was a bench to the far back and she walks over and sits down. She stares at the ground and contemplates her current situation.

“It’s up to you two now. Good luck.” Kara mutters to herself. She was going to have to accept that she was the now the Red-Sun Inmate at Red Sun Prison.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> That concludes the 3 part backstory. The next chapters onwards will go back to the current Oliver and Kara. This was certainly fun, imagining a different future for these characters. I hoped you enjoyed the ideas I put in here. Some I had from different stories I envisioned but I found a place in it right here. Fun fact, the rage storyline was something I planned for Kara as evident of the reasoning it happened. The screaming thing. But I felt that it would be a strong moment for Linda to go through at the beginning of her story rather than Kara who's likely gone through that. Anywho, thanks for reading as always!


	21. Where We Go From Here

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Oliver and Kara witnessed the event of five year prior in its entirety. The flashbacks gave them the knowledge they needed and now they must find a way to go from there.

(Earth 38 - Metropolis - Present Time in 2038)

The members of the Regime had received their objectives and were finalising their preparations. After the destruction caused by the nuke set off in Metropolis, Clark spent no time in rebuilding what he had lost. Everything had been recreated just as it once was, there was just one thing missing. It's been five years since then, since he lost Lois and his son. They had been the driving factor behind his actions and soon he will able to show her. The Lois Lane of Earth-1 came to a shock for him when he found out about her but it was her existence that gave him one final hope. He was going to find her and show her what he had accomplished and no one was going to stop him.

Another one of his allies, J'onn J'onzz and someone who he's known for a longtime had been at his side during all of this. The Martian Manhunter had also decided to pay the Red Sun Inmate a visit. He made his way briefly to Stryker's Island and met up with Future Kara before he was to set off with Clark to Earth-1 to retrieve Lois. He made it to her cell and there she sat on the same bench ever since the beginning. Future Kara lifted her head to meet her new visitor.

"Been getting alot of attention lately. You're the third one to come here, J'onn." Future Kara said, she had gotten up to greet him and had a wary look on her face. J'onn continued on in and carried the same look on his face.

"Let me guess, Mr. Allen came earlier as well. Well, it's good to see you doing good in there." J'onn replied as he walked. He finally came to a stop in front of the barrier that stood between them and the two looked at each other.

"I mean, being cooped up here isn't going to make them feel threatened. What about yourself, the others? Bruce?" Future Kara asked.

"He's safe, elusive he is. I told him all about what we're doing now. He suggests to keep things going and I agree. Your children are fine as well, they've managed greatly in spite of your absence." J'onn answered him, a sigh of relief came over Future Kara's face.

"That's... nice to hear. I can't imagine how hard it's been for you two. I've been in here for five years J'onn. I'm surprised I haven't lost my mind, but then again I guess it's because there's only one thing on my mind, one goal that's been keeping me on track." Future Kara said, giving her thoughts on the matter.

"Well, that amount of time is a far cry to the length I've lived, Kara. But myself and Mr. Allen are risking ourselves to act as your senses within the Regime. It's tough no doubt, but we lasted this long so I'll be damned sure to follow through." J'onn chimed in, trying to keep things optimistic.

"Thank you, J'onn. You've always been there for me and my family. The faster this comes to a close, the faster I can have you rest." Future Kara said, showing concern for J'onn.

"I need no reason to look out for you. Anyway... I should go before they start suspecting. A quick reminder of what they're up to: Mr. Allen will be with Diana to locate the Super Drug developed by the Luthors. As for myself, I'll be with Clark as he searches for Lois." J'onn said, reporting once more to her what their objectives were.

"That's a handful. Well, good luck, J'onn." Future Kara said in response, wishing well to the older man. He drew a smile on his face at her words.

"You too, Kara." J'onn said, leaving her with those words. With that, J'onn rushed out of the area with super speed.

J'onn was left to himself for a few moments as he was leaving, using that time to think about everything that has happened. It was an amazing feat they had pulled off and not having the Regime realise they were spies. He didn't know how long their luck would last but if anything were to endanger it, well, J'onn made a promise he wouldn't let it get to that.

(Earth 1 - Hall of Justice - 2038)

The surrounding area around them had become engulfed in darkness as the visions of William played out in their entirety for Kara and Oliver. They returned to the motion of having their eyes closed as Cisco ceased his abilities and slowly they began to open their eyes. Light flowed in, the glare stung for a brief moment until the scenery they were familiar with came into view again. They found themselves once more in The Hall of Justice.

Kara faced forward to see the older William looking back at them. He had a wary look on his face and seemed to be waiting for their response. Cisco had left the area to give the four of them the room they needed. She did not know how much time had passed since they watched the memories played out in their heads. She didn't know where to begin but her mind had already started racing on numerous questions. Staring into what was essentially her future was a surreal feeling, one filled with many fears and hopes as well. It was then, in the corner of her eye, someone came into view. It was Linda. She seemed reserved and watchful from a distance. Linda had made her way next to her brother and stood beside him. It was made clear now after seeing them younger, they were much different now. What did they have to endure in the time their parents were gone? Kara couldn't even begin to imagine. Without any notice or an inclination of thought, she leapt forward to the two of them and put her arms around them. Her body had just acted on its own and now she held them in a firm embrace.

"Thank goodness..." Kara ushered softly under her breath as she held them. Her head dug into the middle of them. It was quite sudden of her to do so, but Kara's hug invited them to return the favour.

"Well, I'm glad this went okay. I didn't know if I should've shown you that." William said, finally letting out his thoughts. Kara's reaction just now put an ease to his heart. The way her empathy poured unto to the two of them made them both happy.

"It was because you did, I feel this way. It felt like I was watching a part of my life play out rather than just some vision. It made me realise and empathise what happened to two of you and I'm so proud of what you've become." Kara whispers, her voice was soft and loving. She turns her head slightly. "Oliver, get in here."

Oliver had remained silent as he watched them. He too had felt the same as Kara. His prior social experience made him hesitant but he also want to join in. Kara's invitation pulled him in and he too put his arms around them. It now felt right, complete. The four family members although separated by time, held each tightly together and enjoyed the moment before them.

Several moments later, after they had their fill, they broke themselves apart. That hug just now what was they all needed. The insight of how Superman fell, how their future selves disappeared and their children coming to the calling as heroes was the knowledge they needed to understand the current events. They came to the future uncertain of the reason but now they had one to stay.

"William and Linda, I... I just want to say I'm sorry. The two of you had to pick up what we left. I may not know why that was the case, but i'll find out and put an end to this." Oliver spoke up, giving his sincerity to them. His words meant a lot to them. It was quite sad but refreshing also.

"Well, now you know everything, father. I'm really not trying to lose my composure, but I am really happy to see you two again." Linda said, her voice was shaky and her lip quivered. She had try to be calm and collected but her emotions fought through.

"We can talk more later on. I think we should meet up with everyone else for now and discuss where we should go from here." William said, putting his suggestion. It was apparent to Kara that there were others here too, as William said there was more time later for talking with them. As such, Kara and Oliver agreed with him and they made their way back to the meeting hall.

Kara, William and Linda had exited the room, as would have Oliver but he noticed someone by the corner. It was Laurel. She had her back against the wall and her arms folded cross. He made his way and she turned her head to greet him.

"Hey... I just wanted to thank you, for watching out for them, all this time." Oliver said to her. Laurel had a slight surprise look on her face as she was caught off guard but a small smile started to appear.

"It wasn't intentional, but those two were something else. It was... nice being able to do that." Laurel responded, her voice filled with sincerity and hopefulness. It was definitely not how he remembered her back in his time. She seemed much more mature and soulful.

"I know where I was from, things weren't on great terms. But those two look up to you like a mentor, because of that I am thankful, Laurel." Oliver said, offering his gratitude. It left her speechless but smiling. He took it as a sign of goodwill and proceeded to leave things as were and find the others.

(Earth 38 - Nevada - Search For Lena)

Barry had accompanied Diana and Kendra to the Nevada to follow through the last intel they had received in Detroit. If it was true, then Lena Luthor was to be here. The Regime had enlisted the Luthors to create a drug that would benefit them by providing them with the same abilities as Clark. It was only until Clark had discovered that Lex had been cooperating with Bruce and was going to give it to him that they planned to intervene. This too, included Lena who was helping due to her friendship with Kara. This was the events that brought them here to desert, to stop the manufacturing of the super drug and eliminate any existing ones.

"This is a large area. It will take some time to canvas it. The three of us will split up and search for the hidden base. Kendra, take to the skies and see if you can see anything. Barry, use your speed as you would to search them out. I'll be doing the same, if you find anything, report to me first. Understand?" Diana asked, explaining her orders to the both of them.

Barry acknowledged what she said and nodded to showcase he did. So did Kendra. Their understanding satisfied Diana.

"Good. Those prisoners we have on our side from Arkham will be ready to move on the call. I'll first head back and bring them here. Now... move out!" Diana shouts and at her call, Barry and Kendra head off to do what they were told to do. Well, that only applied to Kendra. Barry had something more concerning to attend to. He rushed all the way across the country to find someone else. An old friend in green.

"Been awhile since you've been here, eh?" Barry asks. He did not hear a response but instead a light-hearted scoff. Regardless, he arrived on Earth-38 on had plans of his own to enact.

(Earth 1 - Hall of Justice - Meeting Hall)

Oliver and Kara joined up with the members of the reformed Justice League. Settled in with newfound information and their surroundings, they watched them resume their meeting. Everyone was now present, gathering themselves around the large table and offered William their full attention.

"Okay, looks like we're all up to speed. I think it's time we discuss our next move. Our main priority right now will be to protect Ms. Lane. But we also shouldn't just stay put." William starts up, addressing everyone.

"This is all still bizarre, but I've seen too many weird things going on lately in this world. Really... what on earth is happening?" Lois asks, her confusion present in her voice.

"We need to find them before they find us. We got one of their friends, Black Adam staying quiet but I bet he doesn't feel threatened. If he get outs, it's gonna get real bad, so we gotta get em." Ronnie chimed in. He looked irritated and anxious.

"That's true, but these prisons are of the utmost quality. He won't be getting out anytime soon. From our current intel it's best if we divide our forces on two fronts." Linda said in response.

"Right. As mentioned earlier, we need to find Batman. He's been in hiding after his injuries but I know he's been watching. Aunt Alex is our informant on that Earth." William said. The mention of a familiar name ring bells to Kara.

"Alex? What's happened to her, where is she?" Kara asked, jumping into the conversation. William could see the urgency on her face.

"To keep it short, Superman dismantled the D.E.O four years ago. That didn't stop her though, she continued her work, even if it wasn't official. We're still trying to find her but she's been sending us encrypted messages on the events occuring. Right now, we can't do much." William said in response, answering her questions. It seemed she was okay and made Kara feel relieved.

"What's the other thing?" Oliver asked, bringing attention back to the main topic. Linda was the one to answer this one.

"The key to the Fortress of Solitude of Earth-1." Linda answers.

"Wait, what? How can that be? That would suggest that-" Oliver said in response, he displayed shock at her response. Kara was too surprised to hear this.

"Yes, evident to you there was no mention of Kryptonians on this Earth for some time. Well, that's what the Kara of Earth-1 wanted. She lived a life in secrecy but it wasn't until our one showed up that shook her up. Mother made herself known as Supergirl here just as she was on Earth-38. Earth-1 Kara felt her identity had been stolen but it was during our time in the past she had an opportunity to start anew. The breaches that opened during the time we were preventing the timeship from exploding gave her that. She went to Earth-2 and became someone else. Her name now is Karen Starr or more notably, Powergirl. She left behind the Fortress of Solitude and entrusted the key to our parents." Linda explained, she had gone on for awhile, but a lot was revealed in her words. A sudden revelation at that but there was time to think of that later.

"I see... so where is this key?" Oliver asked. He had take some time to process things but got around to understanding it.

"A few locations we honed in on. The Queen Mansion, a vault in Queen Industries, or our house in Midvale. My choice would be the vault. It has a biometric lock only for you dad, not even I can unlock it. It needs your DNA. It's another reason why we brought you here." William answered. It was quite a loophole for them, if the current person is gone but they exist in the past, that would work also, in theory.

"That's a plate full of tasks on our hands." Kara said, voicing out her thoughts.

"That's correct, mother. All of this will need to be done in due order. For now, it's getting late. It'd be in our best interest to rest up and get our strength back. It's uncertain what tomorrow has in store for us, essentially this is the calm before the storm." Linda said, bringing the discussion to a close. As much as Kara was worrying about the various things brought up, it was no doubt the best thing to do for now.

"All right good call. Every one of you should rest up. I'll look after Ms. Lane here." Laurel said, emerging from the shadows once more and made her way to Lois.

"Nah it's fine, Laurel. We got this." Cisco responded. Laurel lets off a light-hearted scoff and placed a hand on his shoulder.

"Really, it's good. You were out on the field, get yourself checked up. I'll look after the reporter." Laurel said, she gave him an assuring look and such Cisco let her have her way. She then puts her arms around Lois' shoulder. "All right, Lois. You're in capable hands." They begin walking off as Lois had a confused look on her face.

All that remained was the four family members. Kara and Oliver were unsure of what they were supposed to do now.

"Well, guess we're off to home now." Linda said, smiling at the two of them.

"Home?" Kara asked.

"We used to live in the Queen Mansion together for some time, but that place isn't quite secure right now. And we can't hop onto Earth-38 for now. We'll have to do with our apartment." Linda answered her. Oliver and Kara didn't really much to say in the matter and so they followed the actions of the other two.

(Earth 1 - Apartment in Central City - 2038)

It was initially strange to find themselves in Central City, but reflecting on the memories, they remembered William was studying at the University a few years ago before becoming the Green Arrow. It was quite the spacious apartment, small but spacious. A few hours had passed since they arrived and got themselves settled in.

Oliver walked over to William who had been sitting on the couch. As he neared him he notice something catching his eye on the coffee table in front of William. It was notebook of some sort and was laid open in front of him.

"That's curious, what's that?" Oliver asked, coming to a stop in front of him. His question made William turned his head took at Oliver then down to table.

"Ah, this. This is a... notebook of names I found important to keep track of." William answered him, his gaze locked unto the book.

"Hmm, reminds me of the list I also had." Oliver said in response. William turns to him in a slight surprise.

"You had something similar, Dad?" William asked, to hear that they shared something in common made him feel excited.

"Yeah, I did. Mind if I have a look?" Oliver responds and in turns asking him to see the contents of the book. William grabs the notebook and hands it to his Dad.

Oliver begins to read through the pages, going past the name he saw. Some were unfamiliar whilst some he did know. Nonetheless it was just like the list back when he first started.

"Clark Kent, Diana Prince, James Olsen, Bruce Wayne, Harleen Quinzel..." Oliver said, reading the names aloud. He focused the ones that drew his attention. The flashbacks of his son's memories now gave him a face attached to those names, even though he never technically met them yet.

"Yeah, I put them in people of interest. Three of them are in the Regime but the other two are just as pressing. Especially Harley Quinn. She went missing after Joker died. Around the same time Bruce did as well." William said, explaining more of his reasonings for the names in there.

"Sounds like a coincidence, does it not?" Oliver asked, the two matters seemed to fit that.

"Yeah, probably. But we don't know for sure." William responded, unsure of the certainty.

Oliver continued on reading through the notebook as William watched him for some time. It was as if he was pondering something in his mind.

"Hey Dad... Can I ask you something?" William asked suddenly, his voice was low and cautious. Oliver stopped his reading and put the book down.

"Sure, go for it." Oliver replied, turning to face him.

"It's nothing related to the book. It's just... well... how do you do it? Be a leader and all that? I just can't seem to find my ground." William asked, getting his question out. It was certainly a question he hadn't expected or even thought in the current moment. But it was asked of him and so Oliver thought about it.

"The thing is, WIlliam, I don't know if I would call myself the leader. But calling the shots has just come naturally to me. The one thing I've picked up on my experiences is to have a strong conviction. What I mean is to fully commit to your actions, 100% no matter if you feel any doubts. You'll carry a lot of things with you, the burden, the pain but also your team. Everyone will look towards you for the answer. As harsh as it is, you have to be strong for that. Be the pillar they can lean on. Because if you fall, so will everyone else." Oliver spoke to William, looking deeply into his eyes and offering the utmost sincerity. He could see William take his words deeply as he listened to it all. They resonated and seemed to ingrained something inside him as a smile crept on his face.

"Thanks, Dad..." William said softly, still smiling at him. He didn't know it then but the reason behind his smile was the fact that it had been so long he had been given advice from his father in some time. Being in the situation reminded him when he was younger, of a simpler time.

"I know that Ronnie kid can be quite a hothead as well other things during your time. But from what I've seen and how they all look at you, you're doing good. My future self would be proud as I am right now." Oliver said, ushering him a prideful smile. It was a rare occurrence but William was willing to take it, these moments don't come often. Those words that day went on to inspire him.

The night went on into a good mood, Kara and Linda worked on a special dinner for the evening that night. A special ice-cream recipe Linda had learned and they put their all into it. They gathered around the table and dug into the cold goodness. To William and Linda this felt all too similar but for Oliver and Kara it was their first time, yet that thought never crossed their mind. All that was there was a good time to be had. The time had reached around midnight by the time everyone had gotten wearied and tired down. Oliver noticed Kara outside on the balcony and decided to join her.

"We seem to find ourselves on a balcony, don't we Kara?" Oliver asked in a light manner, easing his entrance outside. Kara lets out a small laugh at his tone.

"We do. But look at it, Oliver. It's beautiful." Kara said looking towards the night sky. It was a familiar but distant memory, nonetheless she was right, it was beautiful. Oliver joins up on the railings and looks up with her. As much as he wanted to enjoy this, there was something else that probed around his mind.

"So... what do you really think about of all this?" Oliver asked her suddenly. His question had brought the tone to something different. Kara looked towards him and can see the concern on his face.

"You can tell?" Kara asked, her smile dropping slowly as she realises where Oliver was heading for.

"Yeah. I've had the look for the longest time. I know it when I see it." Oliver answers her. He told in a gentle manner but he had hit the spot. Kara had reservations about her entire feeling about the events of five years prior. She took a deep breath and gathered her thoughts.

"I can't help but feel for Kal, y'know. At first I was shocked and at a loss at why he was acting like he is. But after seeing those memories, it's become clear, what made him like that. There's also this weird feeling about the future. Why did we need to see this or be here? I know they asked us for help but... I don't know. All I know is, Kal and I always had similar fates in life. What I need to do for him now, I don't know if can answer it." Kara said, pouring out her inner deep thoughts to Oliver. She did her best to be honest to him and in turn he listened to her. The truth in the matter was that they were as lost.

"It's fair for you think that. This is all still outlandish to me, but you know him better than I do, Kara. I have confidence you will find that answer when you and Clark next meet. And remember, you're not alone... I'm here with you." Oliver said response, ushering her a smile and an assuring look. The tables had turned and he was the comforting her, not that she was against that. It was nice to see him care for like that. It made her really happy.

"Thank you, Ollie. I just... don't know how my future self did this." Kara said.

"Well she had more time. That's usually how it goes. I'm certain she struggled as you are right now." Oliver said.

"I hope that's the case." Kara said in response, letting out a sigh. There was nothing more to go on and it was getting late. Time wasn't going to wait for them.

"Alright, we should head inside, sweetie. We're gonna need the strength." Oliver said, coming in close to her and putting her arms around her shoulder. She put hers arms around his waist and hugged him.

Although they hadn't figured an approach for Clark just yet, being honest in that moment was a weight off Kara's chest. It was comforting to know she had someone by her side, because of all this was a lot for Kara to handle but Oliver's presence made it all the more easier.

(Earth 38 - Luthorcorp Lab - Nevada Desert)

Deep within the sands of the Nevada, Lena had held herself in her lab. She knew there were people coming for her, but she had to finish the project for them, even if it was the last thing she was to do. She could feel rumbles going throughout the lab and they become louder with each one. They were getting and closer, until finally the door to her location bursted open. A bunch of prisoners armed with weapons stormed inside and aimed them towards Lena.

"Put em up, Luthor!" a prisoner shouted at her. Lena obliged and raised her arms.

"Now, boys. We don't have to do this." Lena said, getting to her feet and following their command.

"Oh we do. It's between you and Wonder Woman. We know who's more scarier. She'll have fun with you and we can go our merry way!" the prisoner retorts back.

It was then suddenly the lights went off in the room and the last sound that was heard was close to a projectile. The room was dark but thuds and bumps erupted in the room. Screams filled the room until finally the room gained light again. The soldiers that threatened Lena were now laying on the ground. She noticed an arrow sticking out of one of them. It was then, she then saw someone in green standing in the doorway with a bow and arrow.

"Hello, Lena. It's been a long time." the emerald archer spoke. It took her a moment to realise but when she did she recognise who it was.

"Oliver...? Why are you- Heh, thank you for saving me." Lena answered, relieved to see a familiar face.

"You're the one who saved me back then, I'm only returning the favour. This mechanical arm is a nice bonus, I guess." Future Oliver said in response, flexing his bionic right arm.

"It was a good thing Barry brought you in as soon as he did. You were losing a lot of blood after your arm was blown up." Lena said. She gave him a much harder look. The attire he wore wasn't exactly a hero suit. It was just plainly dark green leather and a hood to cover his face. He had a goatee and was much older.

Future Oliver walked in towards the lab and looked around.

"How's the research going?" Future Oliver asked.

"Ah, it was getting slow during production, so I focused all our resources into securing a prototype. Follow me." Lena answered and lured Future Oliver after her. She brought him to where tube that had a pill stored in the middle of it. She reached in and grabbed it, handing it to Future Oliver. "With consumption, you will be granted super durability and strength that matches Clark. It's a shame it doesn't replicate the other abilities though."

"That's more than enough. I've spent 5 five years preparing myself. Now I can fight and save her." Future Oliver said, his voice filled with conviction as he stared on to the drug on his palm.

"Where do we go from here, Oliver?" Lena asked.

"It's obvious, you're not safe here. Diana will get distracted for only some time before she arrives. We'll head for Stryker's Island next." Future Oliver said.

"To where Kara is?" Lena asked.

"Yes." Future Oliver answered, confirming Lena's question. It was decided then, he made it clear this lab wasn't secure anymore. She was going to follow him and help him any way she can.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello to you my reader. Thanks again for tuning in. This was a nice shorter chapter that I felt gave some breathing room for the characters. There's a few original concepts I'm trying to introduce here, especially with Powergirl. She won't make an appearance in this story. Within my history of events though, at least she'll be ready to use whenever. I touched more on Oliver and William as I felt they haven't got much since I tried to flesh out Linda much recently. How do you feel about them so far? I'm trying my best to feel out what would they be like as realistic as possible. Also, I feel like the introduction of the Future versions existing whilst the current Oliver and Kara are visiting might be confusing you at the moment. As I mentioned the story is heavily guided for Kara. Her time in the future will show a perspective she normally wouldn't consider. Her relationship with Oliver and how that will pan out in contrast to the falling of Superman. Seeing the happy end their future selves got with family and pitted against Clark having lost his families, it will make Kara question things. That's my objective for this arc. Hope this gave you the direction you need to see where the story is going from here. Please leave any thoughts you have, I'd like to hear them. Can't wait for Elseworlds too! Have a good one!


	22. Never Again

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Their objectives now set, the New Justice move on their plan against The Regime. Oliver and Kara discover first-hand what the future has in store for them.

(The Next Morning)

The following day came around, the night had faded away and the sun began to rise. Kara was the first one to find herself awake. She had slept in the guest room and shared the bed with Oliver. She sat upright on the edge of the bed and turned to look at him as he still nodded away. He looked peaceful and in solace, a rare occurrence of the norm but something Kara appreciated to witness. She decided to leave him to his rest and exited the bedroom. It was connected directly to the living room they were in last night She had started to make her way through when something strange caught her eye. It was Linda, but she hadn't taken notice of Kara's presence. The unusual thing was that she was levitating with her eyes closed. Her legs were sat crossed and her arms were brought together in the middle. It seemed as if she was meditating. The sight of her doing that gave Kara a familiar feeling and reminded her of Oliver. It drew a smile on her face.

"Aw, that's adorable…" Kara whispered softly, she had spoken aloud her thoughts. Her voice however had reached Linda and instantly caught her by surprise. Her calm look shifted into a panic, her face started to get red and her eyes opened in haste. Linda's composure had been broken and she fell to the ground.

"Mother?! Wh-What are you doing there?!" Linda exclaimed in a high pitched voice, her breathing started to get faster and there was clear confusion on her face.

"I just woke up and when I came here I found you like that. Sorry, didn't mean to interrupt your session." Kara said, trying to hold her laughter. She did feel bad for scaring her, Kara never saw her like that before. Linda finally calmed herself down and her breathing returned to normal after processing everything.

"It's alright. I was just not expecting you." Linda said, her voice sounded normal again.

"I'd say. Why are you meditating anyway? Is there something on your mind?" Kara asked, her curiosity took over.

"Yeah. I've been doing this for some time now. It really helps me get my day started. What about you, Mother? Would you like to meditate as well?" Linda asked back.

"Uh, sure. But what would make you think that?" Kara asked.

"Well I… overheard you two last night. You seemed stressed about everything. Maybe this could help with that." Linda answered her, it was made clear that Linda was worried about her. She looked earnest in her invitation and Kara couldn't refuse her.

"Okay, but on one condition." Kara said, her words raised an eyebrow on Linda.

"Um, what would that be?" Linda asked.

"I want you to call me something else, other than 'mother' between us. It's not that I dislike being called that by you, but since we're getting to know each other, I want this to feel more lax and easygoing, y'know." Kara explained, she had gone straight for the point. It was a bit far to ask her of that, but it was the optimal way of easing Kara into this notion of her future kids.

"Oh, okay. I could do that. What should I call you then?" Linda asked.

"How about just 'Mom'? There's no need to be so formal all the time. Especially when it's just the two of us." Kara replied, her answer took Linda back a bit. She pondered what Kara told her for a moment and then finally looked back at her with a small smile.

"Alright, mom. You ready to meditate?" Linda asked once more, this time she seemed much more energetic. Linda had a big smile plastered on her face.

"Sure, go ahead." Kara answered, accepting her invitation. Linda's happiness from Kara acceptance beamed off her like a sun. It was a different kind of energy that Kara hadn't felt from her but one she was willing to discover. Kara couldn't help but add to the good vibes.

Linda began to seat herself on the ground once more and resumed a meditation position. Kara went ahead and sat beside, copying her posture. She crossed her feat and brought her arms together in the middle. She listened to Linda's instructions and followed them closely. Closing her eyes and reducing her thoughts to empty her exhale and inhale allowed the air around them to flow seamlessly through their bodies. It was refreshing and reminded Kara of the feeling she feels when she flies. Kara didn't know how much time had passed but this was something she needed.

Oliver and William had finally gotten up and entered the room to find the two women in the state they were. They were levitating with their eyes closed next to one another. William had been accustomed to this but Oliver was taken aback. He had only a few words as to what he was staring at.

"What is happening…?" Oliver whispers to himself, his voice echoing his surprise. It seemed harmless however and they both looked like they were enjoying it.

(Hall of Justice - Meeting Hall - 2 Hours Later)

Laurel had been of the first people to arrive at the Hall alongside Lois. Caitlin arrived moments after and began conversing with Lois. Laurel used this time to head over to the main computer and checked on the trackers they had placed overnight. There were no signs of breaches used to travel to this Earth, so at the current moment there was no members of the Regime lurking about. There were also a few noticing things she caught eye of. Another sets of messages hailing from Earth-38. Laurel had been about to open them when a new set of people arrived via a breach. It was Oliver, Kara, William and Linda. Just like her and everyone else, they were dressed in everyday attire.

"How were they, kid? You don't usually come in this chipper." Laurel starts up, directing her words to the newly arrived.

"I don't? Heh, didn't notice. There wasn't anything urgent going on, we just… had a good time." William replied, a small smirk raised on his face for a moment. Laurel took notice of his reaction and then panned her attention to the others.

"Seems you all have settled in, that's good. We have a lot to do today." Laurel said. Her words resonated hard which in turn snapped Kara and Oliver back into hero mode.

"Any updates on Earth-38?" Linda asked. The four of them made their way to main computer where Laurel was. As they neared, she turned around and used the computer.

"Yeah, actually. I was about to read one of them. Lemme see here…" Laurel responded, managing through the files and then bringing the relevant ones to the screen.

"This is A.D. I've received one of your messages and I am eager to discuss things. Let's talk more in person, I'll be waiting in National City. By the time you read this, I will be there. See you soon." William said, reading the message aloud for everyone.

"I'm guessing that's Alex, right? Good… she's safe." Kara said, giving her reaction to the news. She was relieved to see Alex was doing well, even in this future.

"Right. We shouldn't keep her waiting. Who knows how long she'll be there." William chimed in.

"There's also the matter of the Fortress key. The sooner we get that, the more we can find out about what's there." Linda said.

"What's so vital that we need to access it?" Oliver asked.

"We don't quite exactly know… but it's one of the leads we got from the message you left me. The gold stone will bring victory against Superman. If it's related to him, it must be there." William responded.

"So this is all just an assumption?" Oliver asked once more, it seemed he had doubts about the idea.

"It's worth a shot, Ollie. They seemed pretty convinced on it." Kara said, trying to get him to see the potential.

"I guess. That's two things on the list." Oliver said. The tasks at hands seemed to be ones that would take a large amount of time to achieve.

"I think it's best we form two teams. Dad, Linda and Laurel can stay here to deal with the Fortress key. I'll head over to Earth-38 with mom and uh… Nora!" William addressed, his voice became louder as he sees Nora enter the Hall. His sudden exclamation caught her by surprise. She wasn't the only one, Ronnie and Martina also entered. The three of them didn't look happy though, the tension from yesterday's fight was still lingering between them.

"Yo! What about me?!" Ronnie asked angrily, they seemed to have overheard the conversation. He didn't seemed pleased to be sidelined. William lets out a sigh.

"Look, we all can't just leave. There needs to be someone to look after Ms. Lane. You and Frost are a good match and one of our best defense." William said, explaining himself.

"Calm yourself, Ronnie. There's no need for anger." Martina said, she grabs on his arm and ushering him to back down. He turns to look at her, the sight of her brought him back to his senses. It seemed his aggression was defused.

They had their goals and where they were supposed to go. There was only one thing missing. Kara looks to herself and then to Oliver.

"We seemed to have forgotten our suits in the past." Kara said. Everyone turned to the two of them and caught on to her train of thought.

"Oh, that's right. It was quite rushed getting you two here. Thankfully mom, you're at the centre of a hero hideout. Cisco! Could you please show them?" Linda chimed in towards Kara. Cisco came in closer as he heard his name.

"Now we're talking. Look no further, I'm the man you look for when it comes to specialisation. Time to get you two suited up!" Cisco shouts enthusiastically, heading off into another section. Kara and Oliver followed after him.

They found themselves in the armory, where an array of suits and weapons laid in wait. Cisco had went off to retrieve something as they looked about. He returned shortly after and gave them each a ring. They looked down, unsure of what they're supposed to see.

"This might be a bit advance from where you guys are. This is the 5th Generation League ring that took inspirations from the Flash ring. I could explain it, but it's much better for you just to try it out." Cisco went on to explain.

Kara had no idea what was going on but she complied accordingly. She placed the ring on her left index finger. As soon as it locked into place, a light lit up on the ring and stirred up sound came from the ring. Like an engine starting up. It was sudden, but a blue suit emerged and attached itself on Kara. It wrapped around her like it was following a program and before she knew it she was in a suit. It looked like the one she had but with slight modifications. It felt different and a new breath of fresh air to wear.

"Whoa… what just happened? This suit feels incredible." Kara said in amazement. She glanced around, eyeing her new suit.

"These rings contain some spare suits we had for you two. It uses the same technology as the flash ring to store a suit inside it but I've added something else to allow it to immediately attach itself to the user. Pretty neat, huh?" Cisco asked, his pride beaming through his smile.

"I'd say! I can get with this future suit! Oliver, what are you waiting for?" Kara asked, turning to look at Oliver. After seeing what happened to her, he felt the urge to follow suit. He too put on the ring on his left index finger and his future suit emerged on him. Just like Kara's it had more modifications to his old suit.

"Ah, Oliver, I think I oughta show you something. I put it in at your request." Cisco said, coming in towards Oliver. He grabbed onto Oliver's right arm and flicked his wrist upright. A hidden blade emerged from the lower part. He drew a reminder during the visions of his future self using this against Superman.

"That's… pretty useful. I like it." Oliver said, admiring his suit as well.

The two of them were now suited up in their respective future suits. It was kind of an odd feeling being in their shoes but they also felt the responsibility they had to fill. They made their way back to the large meeting hall where everyone else had gone up and suited up as well. There was a breach already opened with William and Nora standing by it. Kara went ahead to stand with them. Oliver headed towards Linda and Laurel who were a bit to the side.

"Good luck over there. Stay sharp, alright?" Oliver said, giving him final piece to Kara. She walked over quickly and stood in front of him.

"You too. Take care of yourselves, See you soon." Kara said in response. She leant in and they kissed. They took in this moment to say goodbye before they went their own way.

Kara heads back and gives them one last look before heading into the breach with the other two. The two teams set off

(Star City - Outside of Queen Industries)

Oliver's team were enroute to Queen Industries, all the way in Star City. They had chosen to remain discreet and traveled by hopping the rooftops as it was still daylight. Laurel was the one guiding them. She was agile and sifted through with ease. She donned a black leather suit and eye mask of the same colour. Fitting the name of Black Canary. Linda had donned her suit as well. The red and yellow suit with the green eye mask. Her name was Flamebird. It took some time but they eventually found themselves just outside the tall infrastructure. There was no doubt about it, the giant Q stood atop and the company's name under all but confirmed it.

"So that's it, huh?" Oliver asked, he wasn't expecting an answer but rather just making an observation.

"Yep. Odd enough it's still intact considering everything else around it went to hell." Laurel said, Oliver noticed the way she had said it. There was a slight bitterness in her words.

"I saw. I'm not oblivious to the state of this country." Oliver said in response. Laurel looked at him sternly.

"You also saw yourself disappear. The rest of us had to pick up the slack. Crime didn't stop because the heroes did." Laurel said. Her words came off harsh and Oliver couldn't deny the truth that came from them. It was a statement about the world, how something can never truly be rid of.

The mood was disrupted as an enormous roar echoed nearby, The sound caught them by surprise and drew their attention. They proceeded to jump a couple of more rooftops to hone in on the source of sound. It was then they found it. It was coming from a breakout happening in the city. A battle between the authorities and metas had erupted. In the midst of them was a foe they recognised, Gorilla Grodd. It was a three-way battle between the three parties.

"What, are you waiting for them to invite you? Get your sights on." Laurel said, she proceeded to descend towards the fight, leaving the two of them behind.

"Laurel, wait! We shouldn't be seen right now!" Oliver shouted, trying to reach her but it was no use. He then noticed that Linda had moved towards the ledge also.

"Come on, Dad. We can't just let it be." Linda chimed in. She too proceeded down towards the fight.

"Dad…?" Oliver muttered to himself. He had been addressed differently by her so it was kind of off-putting. Regardless, he was left to himself. There wasn't many options for him but the motions were already in gear. He lets out a sigh and followed after them.

Oliver caught up to the two of them. They hid themselves behind a car and watch the fight unfold. Linda noticed Oliver near her as he came in closer.

"Don't take it too personally. Laurel's just grown fond of protecting metas. I understand where she's coming from. I made a promise from that day onwards, to never allow something that terrible to happen again." Linda said, her voice filled with conviction. He could see a determination in her eyes, she was adamant on those words. She then turned to look at Oliver and gave him a smile. "But really now… I am glad to have you here."

The way she looked at him stirred something inside Oliver. She seemed less tense and her happiness was starting to show. That look of love and admiration that you can only get from family.

"Look, I don't want to ruin your moment, but it's time for less talking and more doing!" Laurel shouts, heading into the fight. Linda then begins to levitate and looks at Oliver.

"She's right, y'know." Linda said with a smile. She gives him a wink and flies into the battle. The Black Canary and Flamebird had gone into battle. They were already this far, it was too late to back out.

"Oh what the heck…" Oliver mutters to himself. He readied his bow and grabbed an arrow.

The arrival of the three heroes took everyone in the fight by surprise. Black Canary went straight for the agents and took them on. She launched a sonic cry, separating the agents from the meta fighters. Laurel did not halt her advance and aimed straight for one of the agents. He tried to raised his weapon in time but Laurel was faster and disarmed him.

Flamebird headed for Grodd. He had launched one of the meta fighters away and Linda landed in front of him.

"Hello Grodd. It's been five years, I've been waiting for this." Linda starts up, a smirk on her face as she stares at the Gorilla. He returned her with a piercing gaze.

"Who are you? I've never met you before, but yet you dare to stand before Grodd?!" Grodd asked angrily. It was fair for him to think that, because on this Earth he hadn't met her until now. It still didn't change the fact of Linda's acquaintance with the Gorilla.

"The name's Flamebird. Things won't go down like last time." Linda remarks back. Her confidence radiated onto Grodd and unsettled him. He lets out a mighty roar and leaps into the air. His advance directed towards Linda.

Oliver had maintained his distance and took out the enemies that were distracted by the other two who had gone in headstrong. One of the meta fighters took notice of him and charged towards him. It was strange but he thought he heard an animal's cry as they did so. As the fighter neared him, he recognised that it was a woman. She began attacking him whilst Oliver moved to dodge her incoming attacks. Her movements were animal like. His attention was drawn to a something worn around her neck. It was a large red stone. She made one last strike and removed the distance between them. Oliver used his bow to hold her back and it was then he finally got a good look on her. He recognised her, someone who had shown up with Sara and the other Legends.

"Is that… a totem?" Oliver asked in a grunt, he was using all he had to prevent her from getting close. As soon as Oliver mentioned the totem however, her expression changed. She instantly backed off from the engagement and moved her totem back into her shirt. It was no doubt, the woman standing before him was Zari Tomaz.

"Everyone, we're done here. Retreat!" Zari calls out to her allies. The other meta fighters heard her call and followed her move. They all began to swiftly retract from the fight. Zari then starts running and jumps into the air, flying away.

"Wait! I'm not your enemy! I just need to talk to you!" Oliver cried out after her, but it was no use she was already long gone.

The meta fighters had taken their exit but the battle continued on other ends. Laurel was still taking care of the A.R.G.U.S agents, her sonic cries and fighting abilities provided to be an overwhelming challenge. She lands a powerful blow to another one she had been fighting and was honing on the person in charge. Laurel grabs their captain by the collar and brings them to meet her in the eye.

"Pull yourselves out and things won't have to go bad." Laurel said, her eyes intimidating the captain.

"You beat up my men and have the audacity to order me?! You've gotta be crazy!" the captain shouts back at her, trying to keep up his bravado.

"Last warning. Get out!" Laurel responds with the same energy. The captain uttered nothing in response but looked to his left. It was then she heard something approaching her from behind. She turns her head in haste to see one of the agents trying to ambush her. The agent wasn't able to get close as an arrow intercepted him. Laurel follows the trajectory and sees Oliver atop a car looking towards her. "Thanks! But I had that."

Oliver jumps down from the car and makes his way to her. He directs his attention to the captain Laurel had in her grasp.

"We'll deal with Grodd. Once we're done, get yourself and your people out of here. This really isn't worth risking your life over." Oliver said. He then turns to look at Laurel. "Now, let go of him." He asked of her. Laurel looks at Oliver and then at the captain. She lets out a sigh and pushed him away. The captain stumbles backwards and lands on his backside. He looks at the two of them with a confused look before hastingly getting to his feet.

"Very well, but let it be known, Director Michaels will hear of this." The captain said, his hands reaching for his neck as he attempts to catch his breath.

Another roar erupted nearby and Oliver redirects his attention to the last remaining target. Linda had been engaged in battle with Gorilla Grodd. He leapt towards her once more and used his massive arms to strike her. Each and everyone one of them missed however as Linda effortlessly dodged them. She hadn't done anything but dodge his attacks and it was starting to irritate Grodd.

"You've been at this a while now, surely you've realise it's not going to work." Linda said, commenting on Grodd's attacks on her.

He panned his eyes around the area, searching for something he could use. His search brought him to an unconscious agent who was armed with dangerous gear. Grodd uses his telekinetic powers to retrieve a grenade from him and launched it towards Linda at full speed. She had been watching him and raised her right arm in the direction of the grenade. As it neared her, her index finger lifted the grenade and she propelled it into the air.

"That was far too slow." Linda said, her gaze locked onto Grodd. The grenade went off in the air, letting out a huge bang and sending out shockwaves.

"What…?!" Grodd mutters in anger. Her actions left Grodd speechless as she dismantled his plans. Grodd was starting to lose his will to fight but not completely. It was time to put it to an end. Linda bends her knees and gets into a launching stance.

"Now it's my move. Here I come!" Linda declared, launching herself at Grodd at full speed.

Grodd tried to use his powers to stop her but Linda was too fast. By the time he realised this, he moved his arms and swung at her with one last attempt. Linda foresaw what he was aiming for and maneuvered around it. She sped past him and in a reaction he turns around to keep his eyes on her eye. As soon as he faced the other side, Linda had landed a critical kick into his abdomen, digging itself deep in him. The kick launched him quickly off the ground and sent him into the nearest object which was a car. It caught him and was barely enough to stop the momentum. There was no more room for doubt, the fight had come to an end.

Oliver and Laurel came in after the finishing blow. They stood beside Linda who was next to the unconscious Grodd.

"Atta girl. Nicely done, Linda," Laurel starts up, complimenting on her performance.

"I'd say that as well. You were in complete control of that situation." Oliver chimed in, giving his thoughts on it as well.

"Thank you, I had great teachers." Linda said in response, their words of encouragement made her happy and her words were directed to the two of them. Oliver remembered his future self taught her some time before and Laurel came in after during her hero days. Linda clenched her right fist and brings it closer to her face. "I've come a long way. This is good. This time I won't lose to her. I won't lose. Never again."

Oliver could see that Linda had been happy with how her progress as a fighter was coming about but those last words were quite ominous. He would even go on to describe it as obsessive. Her desire to protect what's important to her stemmed from her encounter with Wonder Woman. Things have changed since then and time has passed. If it came around to it, what would she do if she was presented with the situation. For the time being it wasn't a pressing concern but it was a thought Oliver kept in his mind going forward.

"Alright, let's get ourselves out of here. The agents can take care of cleaning this up." Oliver said, suggesting their plan of action. There weren't any disagreements and the trio made haste in their escape.

(Earth 38 - National City)

Kara hopped on through the breach with William and Nora. It had brought them to her own world and city but now it was in the future. They found themselves on a rooftop and looked out towards the city. Kara wasn't ready for what she saw before her. The once bubbly and lively city of National City had become dulled of it's vital qualities. The streets were empty and people locked themselves inside.

"W-What is this? This is the future?" Kara asked, her shock and dismay prominent in her voice.

"Yes… unfortunately this is the reality brought upon by Superman and the loss of Supergirl. He vouched for peace and justice to the people of this world. That he has granted in his own way." William responded.

"What is peace really then? At base value, it could mean a world without conflict. But is that really peace when people don't have freedom?" Nora chimed in.

"Something like that can't be simply defined. An ideal world would be all of those things, but forcing it upon the world and sacrificing other values along the way, that's not what the world should be." Kara said, the reality of her cousin's actions were in front of her face but yet it was still hard to confront. The thought of all of this was heartbreaking for Kara. William could see the look on her face and didn't want her lounging in sadness.

"Well, we should make our way to Aunt Alex. Nora did you figure out where she said she would be?" William asked, turning the topic back to their objective. Nora pulled up her wrist and begins to mess with her watch.

"It points us to a bar in the underground. It's supposedly frequented by aliens in its peak." Nora reported, her future watch device giving her the answer she needed.

"The Alien Bar? Wow, I'm surprised it's still around." Kara said, her attention brought back.

"Yeah it is, nearby too. Let's get a move on." William said, with the three of them began to make their way to the bar, William guiding them in front. Kara was with Nora in the backline and saw an opportunity to ask her something.

"Hey Nora, hope you don't mind me asking, but I can't help notice the thing between you and Ronnie." Kara starts up, Nora looked at her with a surprised look as she wasn't expecting to be asked that. She then took a moment and pondered to herself.

"It's about my dad. You've probably seen it now but what he did five years ago left most us split. Some saw him as a traitor whilst some didn't." Nora answered.

"What about you?" Kara asked, she was curious but yet also could sense what her answer would be.

"I know he's innocent. I've reviewed CCTV footage of that night countless times, he didn't kill The Green Arrow. Why it happened like that, I don't know. I know there's a reason, but Ronnie and a few others don't see it like I do. They'll see though, he's not a traitor." Nora answered her. Kara could see that this was something that Nora had been dealing with over the years. She had an unwavering belief on Barry's allegiance. Kara didn't know the full facts of what transpired and what didn't. She decided to hold her judgement until she did.

After following William for some time, they finally found themselves outside the Alien Bar. He seemed to know his way around and it indicated to Kara he had been on this Earth for some time. They walked into the bar, using the same keyword to get themselves inside. The bar that once had many patrons inside now had fewer due to the times. The bartender still remained and few other aliens were seen in the back. There was also one person sitting on the stools, someone she could recognise anyway. It was Alex.

"Alex? Is that you?" Kara asked, approaching the woman on the stool. She was dressed in a black leather suit and had a baseball cap on her head. She turns at Kara's words and looks at her. It was indeed Alex, but she was much older.

"Wow, it really is you Kara. My god I've missed you!" Alex exclaimed, getting off her stool and reaching to Kara for a hug. They embrace together tightly, joyous at their reunion. Alex backs away from the hug and takes another look at Kara. "Yeah, I haven't seen this you in a long time. Oh, William and Nora as well? You need to fill me in on everything."

That was what they did. Kara, William and Nora pulled themselves onto the stools next to Alex. William begins to explain everything to Alex. From the moment they went to the past and everything until now, he told her all in its entirety.

"I see, now I understand why younger Kara is here." Alex said in response, illustrating she had understood things.

"Yeah, it's good to see you Alex. How did things get to this?" Kara asked.

"Things spiralled out of control after the death of Lois. Once he had you in prison, there's wasn't really anyone capable of stopping him. Linda was still growing as a hero and she couldn't take on someone experienced like Clark just yet. He forced the removal of the anti-hero law and took immediate control of enforcing justice. The D.E.O had no chance against him and eventually he became the face of the law." Alex explained, answering Kara's question. She laid it all out for Kara to process.

"You've been on the watch on everything, right? Know anything that relates to Batman?" Nora asked.

"Well, it's hard to track someone like him. All I know are rumors. From what I can gather, Batman is gone but Bruce remains in Gotham." Alex replied.

"If that's true why hasn't Superman done anything?" William asked.

"Leaving Batman injured, he no longer sees him as a threat. As long as Batman doesn't make a move, he won't either." Alex responded, her answer made some sense. Against the people he was familiar with, Clark never did anything drastic to them. Then again, he hasn't been forced to that state yet.

"You think you can help us find him, Alex? If we can enlist him, he'd be a great help in finding a way to stop Kal." Kara said.

"Yeah, of course. Our best bet is to start in Gotham." Alex said in response, Kara was relieved to see her cooperating.

The group had found Alex and shifted their new goal for Gotham to search out Bruce Wayne. Alex left a tip on her drink before exiting the bar with the others. She led them to a van she had parked a distance from the bar. Everyone was about to head in but when an alert blared on Nora's watch. She turned her attention to her watch and read the incoming message.

"What's wrong, Nora?" Kara asked, curious to know what was happening. Nora continued to look at her watch until she looked back everyone with a confused look.

"Firestorm says something came up and he wants me to head back. I dunno what it is, but I guess I'll go check it out. If anything happens, I'll let you guys know." Nora responds, reporting what the message was about. It was sudden but there seemed to be no harm in doing so.

"Alright, we'll go on ahead then. Keep us posted, Nora." William said, giving Nora an assured look.

"Yeah. You too, Willy." Nora said, returning the sentiment. With that, Nora parts way with everyone and rushes on back to Earth-1. The other three continued on their objective and made their way for Gotham.

(Earth 1 - Queen Industries - CEO's Office)

The battle with Grodd had made them sidetracked but Oliver's team picked themselves back up and infiltrated Queen Industries. With Linda at their side, they were able to directly access the CEO's Office. Once inside, the three of them began their search for the vault, spreading themselves across the room.

Oliver took a little moment to himself to take in where he was. He was standing in his future office of the company he was going to reignite. This notion really sunk in the idea that he was really in the future and everything around him was reality. He wasn't fond of destiny or anything related to that but he could not deny the idea that it worked out well. Oliver's thoughts came to a halt as a voice hailed through the room, it had came from Laurel.

"Over here! Found it." Laurel called out, Oliver and Linda came shortly after.

They found what she had been looking at. It was a family portrait of the Queen Family and there were four people on it. Two of whom were in the same room and the other two on another Earth. Behind it, was the vault that Laurel had been alluding to. It was a unique looking vault. Not on the scale of the ones at the bank but the same size as a safe. There was no keypad or dial used for unlocking it but rather the biometric lock William had told them about.

"This is it? Pretty predictable placing it here." Oliver remarked, he was surprised that it was that easy to find, considering what was inside was something of important value.

"You can ask yourself why." Laurel said in response, letting out a slight chuckle.

"That aside, as you can see, only you can open this father." Linda chimed in, drawing attention to the lock.

There was handprint scanner on the middle of the door. If it was true, only Oliver Queen can open this. His DNA was the key. Keeping that in mind, Oliver proceeds to place his hand on the scanner. His hand was in place and a light beams over. He left it there for some time as the scanner processed everything. Green lights blinked repeatedly and Oliver took it as a sign to remove his hand from the scanner. The door to the vault opens and inside laid a small golden key with an arrow tail end.

"This… is the fortress key?" Oliver asked first, he had no clue of what he was looking at. He reaches in and pulled the key out.

"Hmm. It seems pretty normal to me." Laurel chimed in, she too was fixated on the key.

"Based on my reading, it's most likely the key is made of alien material. No matter, we have what we came for." Linda said, adding more input to their observation.

"That's good. We accomplished a lot today." Laurel said.

"Yes, although I think we could've done without exposing ourselves earlier." Oliver said in response.

"Don't kid yourself, you know that was fun." Laurel responds.

"Whether that was the case or not, it was a big risk." Oliver said, sticking to his point.

They had been going back and forth that Oliver had forgotten about Linda. He turns to her and noticed she was occupied by the watch on her wrist. She seemed to be reading something and her face displayed how anxious she was.

"Linda, what's wrong?" Oliver asked her, she had begun to worry him and her silence was not helping. She then raised her head in haste.

"There's something going on at the Hall. I have a bad feeling about this…" Linda answered, addressing what had been occupying her thoughts. She then turned around and reached the window. "Sorry, I'm going to check it out. I'll be back." Linda said before flying off at full speed.

Oliver and Laurel were left dumbfounded by themselves. The way Linda reacted made Oliver worried about was concerning her to the point that she felt she had to return. They had the key in their possession but their optimal exit just left them. For now, they had to do this the old fashion way.

(Hall of Justice - Outside)

Nora used her abilities to travel between the Earths and made it back to her home. She spent no time idling and rushed towards the Hall of Justice. As she neared, it became apparent what the alert was alluding to. They had arrived here, on their search for her. Superman, Martian Manhunter and Guardian were here. Nora comes to a stop to where they had stood and found to her shock that Vibe and Firestorm laid on the ground. Superman had defeated them and Nora came in right after. She rushes over to Firestorm and Vibe.

"Firestorm! Ronnie, Martina! Can you hear me?!" Nora cried out, her voice hailed throughout the night. She heard a lowly grunt coming from Firestorm.

"Nora… careful… he…." Firestorm muttered, their voice was soft and was barely audible.

"Another one appears. The daughter of Barry Allen. This is a surprising turn of events." Clark said. His words stirred an anger inside Nora as she looked at her defeated friends. She rises to her feet and stares at the three of them.

"You! What happened to my father is your fault! He wouldn't have joined you if you hadn't forced him to!" Nora shouts angrily, directing her anger at Clark.

"You have someone of importance to me. I've come to get her." Clark said in response, dismissing Nora's anger. He was here to retrieve Lois and there wasn't any way he was going to throw this opportunity away.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I managed to get another chapter out this week, woo! I had a bit of fun with this one, I got to mix up the character's interaction with this one. There's a lot to explore here so let's see where it takes us. I'm not confident with some of my fighting scenes, it's really tough to picture the whole thing and translate it into words. Anyone got any tips for doing this, would be appreciated. While I'm at it, is there anything you'd like to see in the story that would fit in its context? That's all I have to say, as always thank you to those who have read this far. Really appreciate it. Till the next update!


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